Chapter 8

Forget Me Not

"Life goes on...whether you choose to move on and take a chance in the unknown. Or stay behind, locked in the past, thinking of what could've been."

- Anonymous

Ezra

"Aria..?" Her sobbing stopped immediately as she realized I was still on the phone, then the line went dead. I sighed as I slowly set my phone down on the table. Why was everything so complicated all of a sudden?

"Ezra! Please come down and talk to me," I heard Alison's voice call from the kitchen. I had to go to see Aria...I needed to know what was bothering her so much. She knew something and I was going to find out exactly what it was. I didn't care that we had just met, I didn't care if Alison hated her, I felt bad and I didn't want to be the reason why she was so upset.

"We can talk later, Ali, I need to see Aria. I'll be back soon, I promise." I was still bitter about the previous night so I left without a hug or kiss goodbye and drove to the hotel that Aria was staying at.

I walked inside the musty hotel and went straight to the reception desk.

"Hi, my name's Ezra Fitz and my friend told me that you could just let me up. Uh, room 306. Her name's Aria, Aria Montgomery." I smiled friendly as the twenty-something year old clicked on his computer.

"Oh, huh? That's weird.."

"What?"

"It says that Aria Montgomery and two other guests checked out a little over two weeks ago."

My heart fell. She was gone? How did I not realize that she left two weeks ago?! Was I really that stupid?

"Oh. Well, um, thanks for your help." I turned on my heel and walked right back out of the hotel. The sun was hidden behind gray clouds - it was probably going to rain. I sat in my car and debated where to go next for a few moments, glancing at the clock. It was just 12, and Marley would be back from daycare. I ultimately decided to just head back home to Alison. There was nothing I could do to help her now. And clearly, she didn't want my help.

As I unlocked the front door I heard the light patter of Marley's feet running towards me.

"Daddy! Daddy!" She exclaimed, giggling as I lifted her into the air.

"Hey, Mar! How's Daddy's Princess?"

"Good, good, good!" She sang, pointing me over to her small table filled with crayons and coloring books.

"What are you coloring today?"

"I made you a picture, Daddy!" She handed me an outlined drawing of Tinker Bell filled with scribbles of all different colors.

"I love it, Bug. I'm gonna hang it up in my office, you keep coloring, okay?" She nodded and went back to coloring in deep concentration. I stared at her, fixated by her innocence. She was drawing carefully with her tongue sticking out just an inch, her eyebrows furrowed. The sight made me smile, but it made me sad. Marley wasn't mine and no matter how much of a father I was towards her, I'd never be related to her. I sighed once and proceeded to climb up the steps to my office.

Alison was sitting on my office couch, holding her knees to herself and crying. She looked up with puffy eyes when I walked in.

"Hey," she tried to smile, but it faltered. I set Marley's picture on my desk before carefully walking over to the couch and sitting next to her.

"Why are you crying?" I asked softly, she scooted closer to me. I tensed at first, but then I opened my arms for her to lean into me. I was too nice, I was too much of a pushover.

"I just-I just want to apologize, Ezra. I was so stupid last night and I keep saying stupid things..things that I don't mean! And-and I can't even begin to imagine my life without you. So, when you slept on the couch last night, it really scared me...we've never fought this much before, I don't want us to be like this." I shushed her at the end and pressed my lips lightly against hers. I didn't want to hurt her, I just wanted her to realize that keeping secrets from me wasn't the right way to handle situations.

"Hey, hey, I'm still here. I'm right here and our lives are very much intertwined. I'm not going to leave you, Ali. I just need you to be honest with me." She rested her head against my shoulder and sighed.

"I know...I promise to be completely honest with you from now on..I love you."

It was silence for a few heartbeats as we sat together, but she lifted her head to look at me.

"Do you remember Toby?" She was watching my expression as I tried to connect any dots to the name.

Toby...it actually sounded vaguely familiar, but I couldn't remember exactly who he was. I heard distant voice in my head muttering something about a tattoo and the name, other than that, my mind was drawing a blank.

"No...should I?"

"No, no...I guess not." She smiled and stood up, reaching for my hand. "We should probably get back downstairs, Marley's waiting," I nodded, taking her hand as she led me towards the stairs.

"I did tell you that you were an amazing father, right?"

Later that Night

I was lying on the floor playing with Marley when the doorbell rang. It was almost seven at night and I hadn't expected any visitors, but a small part of me hoped it was Aria on the other side.

"Babe, the door!" I called, Alison was in the kitchen finishing the dishes from dinner when she came out and gave me a funny look.

"Did you invite anyone over?" She asked me, wiping her hands on her jeans.

"No...I thought maybe you had.."

"Oh...no, I didn't either." Alison cocked her head and walked to the door, opening it to a tall man with scraggly hair down to his shoulders. He looked like a dead beat and I stood up to stand next to my wife.

"Where is she? I'm ready to meet her."

"Excuse me?" I raised my eyebrows and defensively stood in front of Alison.

"The girl, I'm ready to meet her...my daughter.." My eyes widened as I realized who this man was. Marley's biological father.

"She's not your daughter..I think it'd be best if you leave now." He didn't even look at me, he walked past me and scanned the room until he saw Marley.

"Is that her?" He only spoke to Alison.

"Hey, man, you need to leave, now!" I raised my voice a small bit as he started making his way towards Marley.

"Toby, stop." Alison quietly scolded. He stopped and turned to her now, an evil glare in his eyes.

"Toby? This is who you were talking about?" My blood boiled in anger.

"Ezra, it's okay. He's harmless and he's going to leave..right now." Alison's face was drained and worry was etched on every square inch of her face.

"You're damn right he's leaving right now! Get out of our house!" I didn't scream, but I wasn't talking quietly either.

"Fine. But I have a right to meet my daughter. And one day, I will. Soon." He stormed out of the house and slammed the door behind him.

"Ezra.."

I held up a hand. I didn't want anymore of her excuses. I was beyond done with all of her crap.

"You were going to tell me, Alison! Why didn't you just tell me when you asked me about Toby? You wanted me to find out this way? Really?" She shook her head, more tears threatening to spill down her face.

"No." She whined.

"So what then? Huh? You were only going to tell me the truth if I remembered exactly who you were talking about? That's not how it works, Alison! You can't pick and choose when you want to be honest! God, you're impossible!" I scoffed and shook my head in disbelief. She didn't say a word. I climbed the stairs and grabbed an old duffle bag; Alison stayed downstairs, which was probably for the best.

I packed a couple t-shirts, jeans, and pajamas and other necessities that I would need. I stormed downstairs and Alison was sitting next to Marley, Marley was confused and crying. She looked just like Alison. Nothing like me, and that broke my heart.

"Daddy! Where are you going?" Marley stayed next to her mother, but she looked up at me with her big, blue eyes. I had to look away. I heard her walk towards me slowly. I picked her up and wiped her tears, giving her a soft peck on the cheek. She didn't deserve this.

"Daddy has to leave for a little while, but he'll be back, okay?" She cocked her head.

"Don't leave me Daddy." She clenched her fists, and wrapped her arms around my neck in an attempt to keep me from leaving. "Dada.."

Yes, Marley Grace Fitz. I'm your daddy.

I peeled her off of me and set her on the floor.

"If you ever miss me, put your hand on your heart, close your eyes, and say daddy. I promise, it'll make you feel better.. I'll be back for you Bug." Marley followed the directions. She processed what I said and her eyes snapped open.

"What about mommy?" I looked briefly at Alison, who couldn't even see the exchange.

"I love you, Bug. I'll be back soon." I muttered, walking out the door with keys and bag in hand.

I didn't know where I was going, but somehow or another, I was going to find Aria.

Aria

I stared out my window with a blank expression on my face. Today was the 18th day I had been in Rosewood. 18 days had passed since I last saw Ezra...and it was the last time I ever would see him. I was wearing sweatpants and an old Hollis shirt of Ezra's that I had never given him back. His smell was gone, though. Seven years was more than enough time for someone's smell to disappear forever.

"Ezra!" She shrieked as he grabbed her from behind, scaring her suddenly.

"I love you." He whispered in her ear, turning her around to kiss him.

"How much?"

"More than you know." He kissed her harder, she smiled, but kissed back. He lifted her up and she wrapped her legs around his waste as he led her to the couch.

I closed my eyes hard, trying to shut out the memory. It didn't work. It only brought more to mind.

Aria laid sleeping against Ezra's chest on the bed. An old black and white movie was flickering on the TV screen. Ezra held her close to him, never wanting to let go. He kissed her cheek and her eyes fluttered.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to fall asleep."

"It's perfectly fine, love. Don't worry about it. Just go back to sleep." He murmured in her ear. She smiled at him and kissed him once before nuzzling into him and going back to sleep peacefully.

My eyes were dry and even if I wanted to cry I wouldn't be able to. Maybe I truly was broken. Mine cell phone chimed once, reminding me of old times, yet again.

"Who else knows about us?"

"No one! I didn't tell anyone!"

"Oh really? Cuz if 'A' knows I'm thinking 'B,' 'C,' and everyone else does too!"

"I don't know who that is.."

"I thought you were mature enough to handle this...apparently I was wrong."

"No, Ezra-"

"Just go...leave." He slammed the door in her face and she walked back to her cars confused and crying over what had just happened.

That happened all the way in 2010. An entire 11 years ago. It was so hard to believe that Jason and Noel were behind the entire plot. They were 'A.' But then thinking about 'A' reminded me of another memory..

It was the night of the ski lift incident and the girls were at my house. I was sitting on the couch as they surrounded me in kitchen chairs that they dragged into the room.

"Did you actually read any of his book?"

"A few pages; bits and pieces...Ezra knew who I was before we met - he knew who all of us were...and...he knew Alison, too." Aria answered Spencer's question.

"So, he admitted to being in a relationship with her?" Emily questioned.

"Yeah..a brief one."

"Then he must be Boardshorts!" Hanna exclaimed.

"Well Ezra didn't try to kill Alison. His whole book is, it's trying to piece together who did it!" She felt like she still had to stick up for him, whether she would admit it at that time or not, she still loved him, she would always love him.

"How is he gonna do that when the police can't even figure it out?" Spencer rolled her eyes.

"I don't know. He has a theory though."

"And? What is it?"

"He thinks that one of us did it."

They scoffed and started arguing about how insane that was. It was annoying.

"Guys! Listen! Ezra is not 'A!' He's a writer, who found a great opportunity to make a name for himself. And he used me! He used us!" Aria snapped.

A heartbeat of silence passed as they looked down, they wouldn't even look at their friend.

"So..wait, what are we saying? That all of that stuff in that room in Ravenswood, that was just research for his book?" Spencer furrowed her eyebrows.

"He's been working on it for years.."

"Well, we've seen the surveillance equipment..so we know he's been watching us." Hanna pointed out.

"He was probably just hoping we'd lead him to Alison so he could finally get his big ending." Aria muttered, the tears wouldn't stop falling.

"If he's been watching us, then he has to know about 'A!' I mean, how could he sit back all of this time and not do anything to help you?" Emily asked, her eyes painted with concern and betrayal.

"It's simple..." Emily looked up at her, waiting.

"He never really loved me."

I snapped myself back to the present day, looking at my phone screen.

I know you don't want to talk to me, but I need to talk to you. Please tell me where I can meet up with you. -Ezra

I shook my head in disbelief, almost smiling, almost.

Snooker's Bar. Rosewood, PA. Meet me at 8 on Friday.

It was only Wednesday, so hopefully he could make it.

Thank you. I'll see you soon.

I set my phone down on the table thinking about what just happened.

And then the truth dawns on me.

Ezra Fitz is coming back to Rosewood, his home, our home, where everything was packed full of their memories.

And none could miraculously recovered.