p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="e4787b40b4ebb9307956057dd52c938f"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"Chapter Eighteen/span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="ec11e00d53e90d3575f26e478784265f"em style="box-sizing: border-box;""If justice is denied, let the /embr style="box-sizing: border-box;" /em style="box-sizing: border-box;"law of karma take the ride. /embr style="box-sizing: border-box;" /em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Nothing in this world is done /embr style="box-sizing: border-box;" /em style="box-sizing: border-box;"without a price."/em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="192dd81a25a403aa18bc3a029f9610c0"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"- Anonymous/span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="a1a013e22a71caf894cbe74b0472bc35"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"Aria/span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="edeb9eb2519cc2c443267ef13efb9f7d"I was pacing around the apartment, chewing on the inside of my cheek. We had basically created the perfect plan to get Alison behind bars and Ezra custody of his daughter, although I wasn't really sure how perfect the Marley plan would work since he wasn't really her biological father, but we would deal with that when that came up later. Ezra was jotting down the key aspects of the plan on a yellow pad of paper. He had that crazed, reporter look in his eyes and I had to stifle a giggle. He looked up at me and smiled sheepishly./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="2ba1116f1e175ee6826380b557b80c8a""Am I getting too into this plan..?" I shook my head, sitting down next to him./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="e9119c18c8821fd83d334433386cdd8e""Not at all, I find it quite sexy, actually," I bit my lip, smiling as he leaned forward to kiss me. I leaned into the kiss for a few, short seconds before I pulled away./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="9666d0e2732284c4d5e77115c51bf825""We have to focus, Ezra, this is important. I think we should call the cops..."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="5c9562176feee9e4af7e62733fdc1bae""Right now?" he breathed, eyes widening. I nodded and he agreed, nodding back at me./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="588bef9ce8207b43673a4f7dd198b64a"I crossed the room and brought the landline phone with me. I dialed 911 as my thumb hovered over the 'send' button. Why was I nervous? Alison deserved this...she deserved this fate. Marley, however, did not. She was just a baby. But she would be okay, Ezra would get custody of her...and I would be like a mother to her...but was I ready for that task? That job? That responsibility. I swallowed hard and stared blankly at the phone. Ezra's arms wrapped around me and he leaned close to my ear./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="52de3551841b171169a5f50fd62544d6""It's okay, Ar. This is the right thing to do. We're doing the right thing. I promise, you." I looked him in the eyes and saw that he was smiling genuinely at me. "You're not a bad person, Aria." His thumb pressed my thumb onto the 'send' button and it began to ring. He wrapped his hand around my hand that was holding the phone and brought them both to my ear./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="2fcb412a408413a88b6e248ecc0b4648""Rosewood Police Department, what's your emergency?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="22ca9b1d401b13fa8369923066a62e8a""Hi, yes, um, I'd like to make sure that my identification remains anonymous?" I swallowed hard again as I waited a tenth of a second for the response./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="ca431a994cd474201960ddbb12549eb5""Ma'am, are you in any danger at the moment?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="4df200ff15ce05973d0e38b107bc70ea""No, but there is someone who is a danger to the city. Her name is Alison Dilaurentis. She attempted to kill my-my boyfriend's friend's cousin by bribing someone to crash their car into him seven years ago." There was a brief pause before the woman spoke up again./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="5502e5a2027376480f459e0886bf176b""Are you positive she was in an assisted hit-and-run?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="f9732199c5290646351fc5dd00995ade""Yes. My boyfriend's friend's cousin's name is Ezra Fitz. He used to live in Rosewood, he moved away, and now he's back. Alison Dilaurentis almost murdered him and I won't feel safe in this city until she's behind bars!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="31ac6613ea540f036293713f4cd371be""Do you have an address for Miss Dilaurentis?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="12ace8436c64ceb907536640b58788f0"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"Toby/span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="d45bde001b8aee4c478926b84f608e1f"I heard the masculine voices coming from the front room so I stepped out from the kitchen. Marley was holding onto Alison's leg as Alison stared wide-eyed at the police officers in front of her./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="2b105989d56332c4219127d496c5844e""Are you Alison Dilaurentis-Fitz?" I could hear them ask./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="c826fbf346866cdf32687ded71d13502""Y-yeah, I am. What do you need, Officers?" she was frozen in place. I walked towards them and placed my arm around Alison's shoulder, turning half of my mouth up in an attempt to grin./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="0b39211e7416abb2a9568994251f3861""Good evening, officers. We were just about to sit down for-" they cut me off abruptly, answering Alison's question./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="23ecf5f9ab6f4e7f07a4fc3cf3f23cb8""We have reason to believe that you assisted a hit-and-run car crash from about seven years ago. Please turn around and put your hands behind your back. We have some questions to ask you back at the station."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="e5aa3a366a0c7c5eafbb631ed9d175ac""There must be a mixup...y-you must have mistaken me for someone else. How dare you accuse me of such heinous crimes!" her voice stayed at the same volume, but you could hear the acidic tone in her voice; that was always enough to make people uncomfortable in their own skin-but not police officers./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="b7444ed28c1c04144b465ec7cb7ab9c8""If it's a mistake, then you'll be back in your home tonight. Please turn around, Miss Dilaurentis-Fitz. It will be a much shorter process if you cooperate."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="fff1b14c455a88b04d99a98f4f200c29"She turned around, making eye-contact with me for a split-second. I took Marley in my arms as I pried her from Alison's leg./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="3ae7b0f515f2e1d2979219a118d3aab4""Mommy? Where are you going? Why do they think you hurt somebody? Only Daddy hurts people!" Marley asked, tears streaking her face./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="09c55272aee7cae48c6ba1fa268637f7""Mommy will be back, Baby. Don't you worry."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="edc50739720a5c5811010cbc46834e89"The officers escorted Alison to the police car and I shut the blinds after the door was closed and locked. Marley sat in front of the fireplace on the rug, hugging her knees to her chest. Tears were silently falling down her face, but all I could care about was that she was mine. I made her. And I wanted her./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="a14df6756304f5f0cb79dcb0072d8852""Marley?" I tried, clearing my throat. It was raspy from all the cigarettes I smoked, but I didn't care. In all honesty, I desperately wanted a smoke right then and there. But Marley was more important at this moment./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="50c9186fb413189cf7fc1cf33a948ce0""You're my real daddy, right?" she asked, craning her neck around to look at me before she turned back and gazed into the fire. I walked towards her and sat down next to her as I began answering her question./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="3c338994ec3ade3b572de58b18954a9b""Yeah. I am. I'm sorry I wasn't with you for all this time, but I am now. And I want you to know...I want you to know that no matter what happens, I'm gonna be here for you from now on. Okay?" She nodded and looked into my face, her eyes were a bright, sparkly blue. Just like Alison's. Here she was. The little girl I never thought I would want. Sitting in front of me, just as vulnerable as her mother was when she came to see me the night she said she was pregnant. "I love you, Marley...what's your middle name?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="e4d53928f5b96bb1fe270bc403b17ffe""Grace-Marley Grace Fitz."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="1ae18e6367d5890097dbf779ff41b462""Well, Marley Grace, I love you. What do you say about coming to live with me? Would you like that?" Her had bobbed vigorously. I felt like a terrible parent. I missed everything./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="6daa8a8e6ee1ded416bf7d9d6753c956""Yes, Daddy!" I smiled as she stood and plopped down in my lap. "I love you, too."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="dc53785d25a3e11fb45aa5dbc946e293"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"Ezra/span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="60f3522dc92fa3c5e36d99c75d7dcaf9"I walked around the police station, waiting for Alison and Marley to arrive. Marley would be brought here because there was no one else to take care of her. Alison's father was always unreliable in the past, so he would not take care of her now./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="b5b9cbb13bc38de49b74fa435e66e042""Ezra!" Aria hissed from the chair she was sitting in. "Stop pacing around!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="14d0d384c18e14166fb09dea3f366976""Sorry, sorry," I sighed, sitting down next to her. My nerves were shot and all I wanted was to see my baby. My Marley./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="1842db175166a445c946b526900c5277"Soon after, we both spotted a blonde figure walk inside. The officers led her down the opposite hallway so she couldn't have seen us. Good. We called anonymously for a reason./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="ffe9bf50ae1aea430938cb159df52dcd""Marley's not with them, Ezra," Aria whispered to me. My heart began to race. Where else would she be? Where else could she be?/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="36a402037f2c96e2da8eb67bfd565ed0"But then it dawned on me./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="1197bdfd0c6246e40fc09b1ab79c97a6"Alison wasn't even 1% stupid. Deceitful? Yes. Cruel? Yes? Bitchy? Definitely. But stupid? Not a all. She wouldn't have come to Rosewood with the risk of the police without having a backup plan. And I had an idea of what she had up her sleeve./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="75ea87f77a6cbc415b5f69731bab668a"Toby./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="c5f5bdf70a0ef318ba52b9464f66e0a4"Marley's biological father had to be here...with her./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="137f8a54324c9670176d4994e5974c1e""She's not coming, either. I know what happened." I grabbed Aria's hand and led her outside as we went to my car./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="6d2851fdfc9efac53be75b7e5e973c6e""What is going on, Ezra?" she asked once we were buckled in and I was driving./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="35c354ad2a333ed9f8cc039cb8c3650a""Marley's biological father is here. He's with her right now and I'm going to get her."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="cca0baee7473cf3ea3c4645345e91e8d""Wait! What? Stop the car, Ezra!" Aria demanded. I wasn't stopping though, I accelerated instead and continued driving to Alison's old house. "Ezra, I'm serious. Stop the car!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="ece723a4f13d8896b721f919a5797d5e"I braked and pulled to the side of the road, gritting my teeth together and breathing through my nose./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="6d71e0388c83c1da73e297819349f284""We can't go there. We can't get her. Technically, that's kidnapping, Ezra!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="164955064aa5b996e6d724c51415195a""I don't care! My name is on her birth certificate! She has MY last name! I'm not letting her stay with that freak of a man while Alison's rots in jail! I don't care if I'm not her biological father or not! She's my daughter!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="77d9a4452aa1beab450b6fd9c69237b5""I know, I know. It's not fair. But we can't get her, Ezra, we can't." She put her hand up and hesitated a moment before placing it on my right arm, rubbing it up and down. "I'm sorry all of this happened to you. I'm sorry, I'm sorry. It's all my fault...and if I could take all of it back, I would. I'm sorry."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="b034f59222006a917390d535132bad07"I shook my head./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="52d3e8ca3c83e57a2fb826cf8ded348c""No, it's not. Don't apologize." I breathed, leaning towards her and brushing her hair away from her face. "I love you so much, you know?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="096e8b1bd818bfd6bb64b68deb6ff881""Let's go home and wait to see what happens...you will get Marley back."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="a70c366f1b82466f5bc0bf041ecf5031"Three Months Later/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="efe7fcf3411e5955953667f886324c9d"Alison's court date was scheduled for a rainy day in April. That was the day where we would get to see Alison's fate decided by someone other than herself./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="70e0ab6940d50d7f2f747fe9b25187e9""Are you ready?" I called right as Aria emerged from the bathroom wearing a black, pencil skirt with a dark lavender blouse. He hair was down and wavy, almost reaching her ass, but not quite. "Wow...you look...amazing!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="89dfda93784f07f41d5d4320d522450a""So do you, Mr. Fitz." She looked me up and down, admiring the khaki pants and baby-blue dress shirt I was wearing. She crossed the room quickly, wrapping her arms around my neck and stepping on her tiptoes to kiss me. I kissed her back, wrapping my arms around her petite waist to yank her closer to me./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="6e644e70a9fe3145c88b5b6261af5754"* * */p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="fb1468083b6956c86e9b2cbdb5d5ee66""Quiet! We have now reached the time where the jury will declare the verdict." The judge announced. Aria was practically bouncing up and down on the bench and I could tell she was nervous./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="8c9c224fa682f344631fdf59a977e31c"Very slowly, the eldest member of the jury - a small, grey-haired woman with glasses - stood up and began speaking./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="f5ebcb5cb37631e9693ec1804df33269""We, the jury, find the defendant guilty of assisted manslaughter and bribery."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="b7861d6cddb98f6323ea82906a5125c6"There was a small moment of absolute silence before the crowd began to murmur. Alison stood in her orange jumpsuit and looked around cluelessly. She didn't know what to do. There was a small fraction of my heart and yearned to comfort her, but I pushed it away. The feelings I had for her were built on lies and therefore meant nothing./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="44873fbf7e0fb15a9f9cf3fae1889ede"As Alison was walked down the hallway, she spotted us and whispered something to the officer. He nodded and she began walking towards us./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="5d2e50a15f01cc41b768c6be934c9de2""I hope you're happy, Aria. You got what you always wanted. I'll be out of your life for good, now." She spat. I stood and shielded Aria from her as I spoke./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="d619da8a4b7792bbdaa2698de2ee05f2""Where's Marley, Alison?" She chuckled at the question with spite./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="37cac7786ea6d0ee93fc2269e19901e4""You'll never see her again, Ezra. She was never your daughter to begin with. She's in a better place now." Alison smiled and walked back to the officer./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="23acb67a3e741188b93f95b122391ac4"What the hell was she talking about? I was going to get custody.../p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="c5b3e894ff855760e5196533af5bda44"I had to./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="2760a30fd0aa0914a7dd8724870a1c43"Four Years Ago/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="e70d3fc44c8bc4ae941f142731afadae"Toby/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="718617f23dc77ff6a56f8322cc496022""It's yours, Toby." Alison sobbed as soon as she walked through my apartment door./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="e8d8dac7e760b8f680fb600127ea6b22""What are you talking about...you can't be...are you pregnant?!" I ran my hands through my hair and pulled them out again./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="91d6f26dcbb8e2e2c7388046cf41612a"She nodded as years poured down her face. Alison was always the prettiest out of her group of friends, Spencer was a close second, but Alison would always be the prettiest./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="98e9a3b03d8fecfd6e8658bdf81cb033""God, Ali, it was a one-night stand! We used protection for God's sake!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="3da384227e46980e9a3deacbc9520465""I know! I don't know what happened!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="2243dd0476a0fe1b6206a2599f72c526""What are we gonna do?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="334deeb940f671c9061090a450bb3188""I'm married, Toby! Married! To the most wonderful man on the planet! I don't want this child! I don't want part of you living inside of me!" A sick feeling churned in my stomach to hear her say such evil things./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="d07cd9f2f9457b49bfc0241ba792248d""Look, girl, you came to me, remember? You wanted this at one point that night. So don't go around blaming all this shit on me!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="bc7e21c90ae5d57472c2821011e812b0""Okay. Look. I'm going to tell Ezra the truth. But if something happens later on...with us...you have to do some things." I raised my eyebrows at her./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="800ef52dba66f0ecd0dfe1b49c8c71b5""I don't think I have to do anything for you.."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="49bc4450e1a56d33e46cfb91c4e48f58""Grow up, Toby! Not for me, you'll do it for the baby. And for yourself." She snapped./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="d230fbd97bbd46e93e45e5554a2a1e56""Explain." I demanded. She sat on the couch and I followed her./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="c15d3b98106cf4a124ae85ba22118e83""If something happens...like...if I ever go to jail or cops ever come to my house, you have to come to me. Find us. You'll have to take the baby as your own and you'll go to the bank. Activate the account under the name "Marley Cavanaugh" and take everything. Then you'll have to find my brother. He'll give you passports, ID's, and birth certificates. And finally, you'll need to get custody of the baby."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="c185dead3d42197c253c981de497fdf3""What about Ezra? This plan doesn't make any sense, Alison!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="34f67296ddfdaefd52f83d32fa28973b""Yes it does. But I can't tell you anything. The less you know, the better for both of you."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="9405c5308faf4372a6f965856332ad9e""Alison?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="184826be0ea6837abb5851807f7a9e2b""What?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="59a560db2ef82f85c51620cbd1882acd""Marley Cavanaugh? Is that the name? Do you know if it's a boy or a girl yet?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="99c5f7089d7257f5dfedf6b93fd7d2e1""Yes, Marley's the name. I don't know the gender yet. Thanks, Toby. I have to go now."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="e2174b8d14b9a32fec494a311bc33c38"Present Time (three days after Alison's arresting)/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="eb6520413db841d29c4e424a4033f04b"I was driving back to Philly with Marley in the car. I had done everything Alison told me to. Marley was mine./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="8e0600f25e2aaac07556173b1877c021""Daddy, where are we going?" she asked./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="d49f7493d892662b33c01c7c47f76787""We gotta go to court...your other Daddy wants to take you away from me. But we can't let that happen, can we?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="b43c9e3c0680d3b0939cc23ebf74387d""No! I don't wanna go with him! Don't let him take me, Daddy!" she cried, tears already threatening to spill out of her eyes./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="d98f3cdae8e0d84d67f45b513a9b3c2c""I won't, Mar, I won't. But you gotta do something to."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="27431374e410916f710144e66b035703""I'll do anything if it will let me stay with you!" I looked at her in the rear-view mirror, watching her facial expression./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="b900e280ddce3538812fd94faa7480fb""You gotta tell the grown-ups that he hurt you when we get there. You gotta tell them he hit you. And sometimes, he wouldn't stop."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="0645372c9cbaf07da2588e1215b643c3"Her face became pale and her eyes widened./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="3374fa7c24dfc27ccaf3e2765e42de18""He never hurt me...why do you want me to lie?" she whispered. Panic spread throughout me. I had to think of something, and fast./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="8001ce63e2ae2d01b4a6dd1cdd9d42f5""You need to lie, Marley...or he'll take you. And that Aria lady will be like your new mother. She was the one who made Mommy go away!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="4e9ff8a2775c6164ce2283fdef946335""Miss Aria did all of that?" her eyes turned a shade darker and she closed her mouth together tightly./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="f1a73e3663a39416778adb917df4e5c3""Yes."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="14af17cc95e2d6c4eec7cce7b10df542""I'll lie, then. I'll tell them Daddy hurt me and he would keep on hurting me sometimes."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="225193e9e9141eb4e8444ad071812528""Good girl, Marley."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="02ecf08d962281c433e7a123e620a6c5"Ezra/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="b40a2004629dc1da47fa82a81b36ebc4"We were waiting in the parking lot for them when they arrived. I saw her before I saw him and I ran toward her./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="c026113e7cf25f10d2f13438eee86eb3""Marley!" I called, she glared at me and stepped backwards as I tried to hug her./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="4bc8a2c521595a79b9d1d3b8cf376eba""Get away from me!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="7782bbbb7d6d2685c04c66430492175e"I could feel my heart sink into my stomach. I turned around to look at the man who created my daughter./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="202b222ff36ab7cd8c3b548e661014dd""You did this..." I stated it as a fact. He shrugged and smiled an ugly smile. His teeth were disgusting, probably from all the cigarettes he smoked, I could smell the smoke before he got out of his car./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="f64ae508a99b9def136d8e0316fed54b""Yah, well Alison was a big part of it, too."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="66a3e779065fdadf114f98449793d1fc"I looked back to Marley and got on my knees so I was as tall as her./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="0cfc7d9334c2eb49c3772af650378678""Marley, I don't know what they told you...but I love you. I will always love you no matter what." She chin wobbled a bit as tears started coming from her eyes. I thought she was going to finally give in and hug me, but I was 100% wrong./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="c7de5e57430cfb75e7d2812970e63254"She was stubborn, just like her mother./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="0f4c1e718cdecdd4812b376de995c5f4""I hate you. You ruined our family and you left me! You left me!" She screamed and ran into Toby's arms./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="8b6d06fd1f3be9964b4dd2f82b11384b"Aria ran out of the building to meet me, probably because she heard all of the screaming, but she stopped as soon as she saw Toby./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="158cabb3ce3c7f69ed2adb0a6af75401""Toby?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="a5f390589eddddea253dd43791f51476""Oh, Aria. What a pleasure to see you." He sneered. He walked past her and into the building./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="9149b801838525cd1556ff5541fa1044"Today was going to be terrible. I could feel it./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="3a74cebf8cfb79daf6733163d124a9bc"I was not going to get custody of Marley./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="fddfa7d15eb6c3e7baae3baa095233ed"It was too late./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="ec11e00d53e90d3575f26e478784265f"em style="box-sizing: border-box;""If justice is denied, let the /embr style="box-sizing: border-box;" /em style="box-sizing: border-box;"law of karma take the ride. /embr style="box-sizing: border-box;" /em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Nothing in this world is done /embr style="box-sizing: border-box;" /em style="box-sizing: border-box;"without a price."/em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="192dd81a25a403aa18bc3a029f9610c0"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"- Anonymous/span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="a1a013e22a71caf894cbe74b0472bc35"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"Aria/span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="edeb9eb2519cc2c443267ef13efb9f7d"I was pacing around the apartment, chewing on the inside of my cheek. We had basically created the perfect plan to get Alison behind bars and Ezra custody of his daughter, although I wasn't really sure how perfect the Marley plan would work since he wasn't really her biological father, but we would deal with that when that came up later. Ezra was jotting down the key aspects of the plan on a yellow pad of paper. He had that crazed, reporter look in his eyes and I had to stifle a giggle. He looked up at me and smiled sheepishly./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="2ba1116f1e175ee6826380b557b80c8a""Am I getting too into this plan..?" I shook my head, sitting down next to him./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="e9119c18c8821fd83d334433386cdd8e""Not at all, I find it quite sexy, actually," I bit my lip, smiling as he leaned forward to kiss me. I leaned into the kiss for a few, short seconds before I pulled away./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="9666d0e2732284c4d5e77115c51bf825""We have to focus, Ezra, this is important. I think we should call the cops..."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="5c9562176feee9e4af7e62733fdc1bae""Right now?" he breathed, eyes widening. I nodded and he agreed, nodding back at me./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="588bef9ce8207b43673a4f7dd198b64a"I crossed the room and brought the landline phone with me. I dialed 911 as my thumb hovered over the 'send' button. Why was I nervous? Alison deserved this...she deserved this fate. Marley, however, did not. She was just a baby. But she would be okay, Ezra would get custody of her...and I would be like a mother to her...but was I ready for that task? That job? That responsibility. I swallowed hard and stared blankly at the phone. Ezra's arms wrapped around me and he leaned close to my ear./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="52de3551841b171169a5f50fd62544d6""It's okay, Ar. This is the right thing to do. We're doing the right thing. I promise, you." I looked him in the eyes and saw that he was smiling genuinely at me. "You're not a bad person, Aria." His thumb pressed my thumb onto the 'send' button and it began to ring. He wrapped his hand around my hand that was holding the phone and brought them both to my ear./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="2fcb412a408413a88b6e248ecc0b4648""Rosewood Police Department, what's your emergency?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="22ca9b1d401b13fa8369923066a62e8a""Hi, yes, um, I'd like to make sure that my identification remains anonymous?" I swallowed hard again as I waited a tenth of a second for the response./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="ca431a994cd474201960ddbb12549eb5""Ma'am, are you in any danger at the moment?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="4df200ff15ce05973d0e38b107bc70ea""No, but there is someone who is a danger to the city. Her name is Alison Dilaurentis. She attempted to kill my-my boyfriend's friend's cousin by bribing someone to crash their car into him seven years ago." There was a brief pause before the woman spoke up again./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="5502e5a2027376480f459e0886bf176b""Are you positive she was in an assisted hit-and-run?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="f9732199c5290646351fc5dd00995ade""Yes. My boyfriend's friend's cousin's name is Ezra Fitz. He used to live in Rosewood, he moved away, and now he's back. Alison Dilaurentis almost murdered him and I won't feel safe in this city until she's behind bars!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="31ac6613ea540f036293713f4cd371be""Do you have an address for Miss Dilaurentis?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="12ace8436c64ceb907536640b58788f0"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"Toby/span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="d45bde001b8aee4c478926b84f608e1f"I heard the masculine voices coming from the front room so I stepped out from the kitchen. Marley was holding onto Alison's leg as Alison stared wide-eyed at the police officers in front of her./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="2b105989d56332c4219127d496c5844e""Are you Alison Dilaurentis-Fitz?" I could hear them ask./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="c826fbf346866cdf32687ded71d13502""Y-yeah, I am. What do you need, Officers?" she was frozen in place. I walked towards them and placed my arm around Alison's shoulder, turning half of my mouth up in an attempt to grin./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="0b39211e7416abb2a9568994251f3861""Good evening, officers. We were just about to sit down for-" they cut me off abruptly, answering Alison's question./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="23ecf5f9ab6f4e7f07a4fc3cf3f23cb8""We have reason to believe that you assisted a hit-and-run car crash from about seven years ago. Please turn around and put your hands behind your back. We have some questions to ask you back at the station."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="e5aa3a366a0c7c5eafbb631ed9d175ac""There must be a mixup...y-you must have mistaken me for someone else. How dare you accuse me of such heinous crimes!" her voice stayed at the same volume, but you could hear the acidic tone in her voice; that was always enough to make people uncomfortable in their own skin-but not police officers./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="b7444ed28c1c04144b465ec7cb7ab9c8""If it's a mistake, then you'll be back in your home tonight. Please turn around, Miss Dilaurentis-Fitz. It will be a much shorter process if you cooperate."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="fff1b14c455a88b04d99a98f4f200c29"She turned around, making eye-contact with me for a split-second. I took Marley in my arms as I pried her from Alison's leg./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="3ae7b0f515f2e1d2979219a118d3aab4""Mommy? Where are you going? Why do they think you hurt somebody? Only Daddy hurts people!" Marley asked, tears streaking her face./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="09c55272aee7cae48c6ba1fa268637f7""Mommy will be back, Baby. Don't you worry."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="edc50739720a5c5811010cbc46834e89"The officers escorted Alison to the police car and I shut the blinds after the door was closed and locked. Marley sat in front of the fireplace on the rug, hugging her knees to her chest. Tears were silently falling down her face, but all I could care about was that she was mine. I made her. And I wanted her./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="a14df6756304f5f0cb79dcb0072d8852""Marley?" I tried, clearing my throat. It was raspy from all the cigarettes I smoked, but I didn't care. In all honesty, I desperately wanted a smoke right then and there. But Marley was more important at this moment./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="50c9186fb413189cf7fc1cf33a948ce0""You're my real daddy, right?" she asked, craning her neck around to look at me before she turned back and gazed into the fire. I walked towards her and sat down next to her as I began answering her question./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="3c338994ec3ade3b572de58b18954a9b""Yeah. I am. I'm sorry I wasn't with you for all this time, but I am now. And I want you to know...I want you to know that no matter what happens, I'm gonna be here for you from now on. Okay?" She nodded and looked into my face, her eyes were a bright, sparkly blue. Just like Alison's. Here she was. The little girl I never thought I would want. Sitting in front of me, just as vulnerable as her mother was when she came to see me the night she said she was pregnant. "I love you, Marley...what's your middle name?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="e4d53928f5b96bb1fe270bc403b17ffe""Grace-Marley Grace Fitz."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="1ae18e6367d5890097dbf779ff41b462""Well, Marley Grace, I love you. What do you say about coming to live with me? Would you like that?" Her had bobbed vigorously. I felt like a terrible parent. I missed everything./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="6daa8a8e6ee1ded416bf7d9d6753c956""Yes, Daddy!" I smiled as she stood and plopped down in my lap. "I love you, too."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="dc53785d25a3e11fb45aa5dbc946e293"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"Ezra/span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="60f3522dc92fa3c5e36d99c75d7dcaf9"I walked around the police station, waiting for Alison and Marley to arrive. Marley would be brought here because there was no one else to take care of her. Alison's father was always unreliable in the past, so he would not take care of her now./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="b5b9cbb13bc38de49b74fa435e66e042""Ezra!" Aria hissed from the chair she was sitting in. "Stop pacing around!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="14d0d384c18e14166fb09dea3f366976""Sorry, sorry," I sighed, sitting down next to her. My nerves were shot and all I wanted was to see my baby. My Marley./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="1842db175166a445c946b526900c5277"Soon after, we both spotted a blonde figure walk inside. The officers led her down the opposite hallway so she couldn't have seen us. Good. We called anonymously for a reason./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="ffe9bf50ae1aea430938cb159df52dcd""Marley's not with them, Ezra," Aria whispered to me. My heart began to race. Where else would she be? Where else could she be?/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="36a402037f2c96e2da8eb67bfd565ed0"But then it dawned on me./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="1197bdfd0c6246e40fc09b1ab79c97a6"Alison wasn't even 1% stupid. Deceitful? Yes. Cruel? Yes? Bitchy? Definitely. But stupid? Not a all. She wouldn't have come to Rosewood with the risk of the police without having a backup plan. And I had an idea of what she had up her sleeve./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="75ea87f77a6cbc415b5f69731bab668a"Toby./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="c5f5bdf70a0ef318ba52b9464f66e0a4"Marley's biological father had to be here...with her./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="137f8a54324c9670176d4994e5974c1e""She's not coming, either. I know what happened." I grabbed Aria's hand and led her outside as we went to my car./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="6d2851fdfc9efac53be75b7e5e973c6e""What is going on, Ezra?" she asked once we were buckled in and I was driving./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="35c354ad2a333ed9f8cc039cb8c3650a""Marley's biological father is here. He's with her right now and I'm going to get her."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="cca0baee7473cf3ea3c4645345e91e8d""Wait! What? Stop the car, Ezra!" Aria demanded. I wasn't stopping though, I accelerated instead and continued driving to Alison's old house. "Ezra, I'm serious. Stop the car!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="ece723a4f13d8896b721f919a5797d5e"I braked and pulled to the side of the road, gritting my teeth together and breathing through my nose./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="6d71e0388c83c1da73e297819349f284""We can't go there. We can't get her. Technically, that's kidnapping, Ezra!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="164955064aa5b996e6d724c51415195a""I don't care! My name is on her birth certificate! She has MY last name! I'm not letting her stay with that freak of a man while Alison's rots in jail! I don't care if I'm not her biological father or not! She's my daughter!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="77d9a4452aa1beab450b6fd9c69237b5""I know, I know. It's not fair. But we can't get her, Ezra, we can't." She put her hand up and hesitated a moment before placing it on my right arm, rubbing it up and down. "I'm sorry all of this happened to you. I'm sorry, I'm sorry. It's all my fault...and if I could take all of it back, I would. I'm sorry."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="b034f59222006a917390d535132bad07"I shook my head./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="52d3e8ca3c83e57a2fb826cf8ded348c""No, it's not. Don't apologize." I breathed, leaning towards her and brushing her hair away from her face. "I love you so much, you know?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="096e8b1bd818bfd6bb64b68deb6ff881""Let's go home and wait to see what happens...you will get Marley back."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="a70c366f1b82466f5bc0bf041ecf5031"Three Months Later/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="efe7fcf3411e5955953667f886324c9d"Alison's court date was scheduled for a rainy day in April. That was the day where we would get to see Alison's fate decided by someone other than herself./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="70e0ab6940d50d7f2f747fe9b25187e9""Are you ready?" I called right as Aria emerged from the bathroom wearing a black, pencil skirt with a dark lavender blouse. He hair was down and wavy, almost reaching her ass, but not quite. "Wow...you look...amazing!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="89dfda93784f07f41d5d4320d522450a""So do you, Mr. Fitz." She looked me up and down, admiring the khaki pants and baby-blue dress shirt I was wearing. She crossed the room quickly, wrapping her arms around my neck and stepping on her tiptoes to kiss me. I kissed her back, wrapping my arms around her petite waist to yank her closer to me./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="6e644e70a9fe3145c88b5b6261af5754"* * */p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="fb1468083b6956c86e9b2cbdb5d5ee66""Quiet! We have now reached the time where the jury will declare the verdict." The judge announced. Aria was practically bouncing up and down on the bench and I could tell she was nervous./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="8c9c224fa682f344631fdf59a977e31c"Very slowly, the eldest member of the jury - a small, grey-haired woman with glasses - stood up and began speaking./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="f5ebcb5cb37631e9693ec1804df33269""We, the jury, find the defendant guilty of assisted manslaughter and bribery."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="b7861d6cddb98f6323ea82906a5125c6"There was a small moment of absolute silence before the crowd began to murmur. Alison stood in her orange jumpsuit and looked around cluelessly. She didn't know what to do. There was a small fraction of my heart and yearned to comfort her, but I pushed it away. The feelings I had for her were built on lies and therefore meant nothing./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="44873fbf7e0fb15a9f9cf3fae1889ede"As Alison was walked down the hallway, she spotted us and whispered something to the officer. He nodded and she began walking towards us./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="5d2e50a15f01cc41b768c6be934c9de2""I hope you're happy, Aria. You got what you always wanted. I'll be out of your life for good, now." She spat. I stood and shielded Aria from her as I spoke./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="d619da8a4b7792bbdaa2698de2ee05f2""Where's Marley, Alison?" She chuckled at the question with spite./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="37cac7786ea6d0ee93fc2269e19901e4""You'll never see her again, Ezra. She was never your daughter to begin with. She's in a better place now." Alison smiled and walked back to the officer./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="23acb67a3e741188b93f95b122391ac4"What the hell was she talking about? I was going to get custody.../p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="c5b3e894ff855760e5196533af5bda44"I had to./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="2760a30fd0aa0914a7dd8724870a1c43"Four Years Ago/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="e70d3fc44c8bc4ae941f142731afadae"Toby/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="718617f23dc77ff6a56f8322cc496022""It's yours, Toby." Alison sobbed as soon as she walked through my apartment door./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="e8d8dac7e760b8f680fb600127ea6b22""What are you talking about...you can't be...are you pregnant?!" I ran my hands through my hair and pulled them out again./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="91d6f26dcbb8e2e2c7388046cf41612a"She nodded as years poured down her face. Alison was always the prettiest out of her group of friends, Spencer was a close second, but Alison would always be the prettiest./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="98e9a3b03d8fecfd6e8658bdf81cb033""God, Ali, it was a one-night stand! We used protection for God's sake!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="3da384227e46980e9a3deacbc9520465""I know! I don't know what happened!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="2243dd0476a0fe1b6206a2599f72c526""What are we gonna do?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="334deeb940f671c9061090a450bb3188""I'm married, Toby! Married! To the most wonderful man on the planet! I don't want this child! I don't want part of you living inside of me!" A sick feeling churned in my stomach to hear her say such evil things./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="d07cd9f2f9457b49bfc0241ba792248d""Look, girl, you came to me, remember? You wanted this at one point that night. So don't go around blaming all this shit on me!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="bc7e21c90ae5d57472c2821011e812b0""Okay. Look. I'm going to tell Ezra the truth. But if something happens later on...with us...you have to do some things." I raised my eyebrows at her./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="800ef52dba66f0ecd0dfe1b49c8c71b5""I don't think I have to do anything for you.."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="49bc4450e1a56d33e46cfb91c4e48f58""Grow up, Toby! Not for me, you'll do it for the baby. And for yourself." She snapped./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="d230fbd97bbd46e93e45e5554a2a1e56""Explain." I demanded. She sat on the couch and I followed her./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="c15d3b98106cf4a124ae85ba22118e83""If something happens...like...if I ever go to jail or cops ever come to my house, you have to come to me. Find us. You'll have to take the baby as your own and you'll go to the bank. Activate the account under the name "Marley Cavanaugh" and take everything. Then you'll have to find my brother. He'll give you passports, ID's, and birth certificates. And finally, you'll need to get custody of the baby."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="c185dead3d42197c253c981de497fdf3""What about Ezra? This plan doesn't make any sense, Alison!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="34f67296ddfdaefd52f83d32fa28973b""Yes it does. But I can't tell you anything. The less you know, the better for both of you."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="9405c5308faf4372a6f965856332ad9e""Alison?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="184826be0ea6837abb5851807f7a9e2b""What?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="59a560db2ef82f85c51620cbd1882acd""Marley Cavanaugh? Is that the name? Do you know if it's a boy or a girl yet?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="99c5f7089d7257f5dfedf6b93fd7d2e1""Yes, Marley's the name. I don't know the gender yet. Thanks, Toby. I have to go now."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="e2174b8d14b9a32fec494a311bc33c38"Present Time (three days after Alison's arresting)/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="eb6520413db841d29c4e424a4033f04b"I was driving back to Philly with Marley in the car. I had done everything Alison told me to. Marley was mine./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="8e0600f25e2aaac07556173b1877c021""Daddy, where are we going?" she asked./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="d49f7493d892662b33c01c7c47f76787""We gotta go to court...your other Daddy wants to take you away from me. But we can't let that happen, can we?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="b43c9e3c0680d3b0939cc23ebf74387d""No! I don't wanna go with him! Don't let him take me, Daddy!" she cried, tears already threatening to spill out of her eyes./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="d98f3cdae8e0d84d67f45b513a9b3c2c""I won't, Mar, I won't. But you gotta do something to."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="27431374e410916f710144e66b035703""I'll do anything if it will let me stay with you!" I looked at her in the rear-view mirror, watching her facial expression./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="b900e280ddce3538812fd94faa7480fb""You gotta tell the grown-ups that he hurt you when we get there. You gotta tell them he hit you. And sometimes, he wouldn't stop."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="0645372c9cbaf07da2588e1215b643c3"Her face became pale and her eyes widened./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="3374fa7c24dfc27ccaf3e2765e42de18""He never hurt me...why do you want me to lie?" she whispered. Panic spread throughout me. I had to think of something, and fast./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="8001ce63e2ae2d01b4a6dd1cdd9d42f5""You need to lie, Marley...or he'll take you. And that Aria lady will be like your new mother. She was the one who made Mommy go away!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="4e9ff8a2775c6164ce2283fdef946335""Miss Aria did all of that?" her eyes turned a shade darker and she closed her mouth together tightly./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="f1a73e3663a39416778adb917df4e5c3""Yes."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="14af17cc95e2d6c4eec7cce7b10df542""I'll lie, then. I'll tell them Daddy hurt me and he would keep on hurting me sometimes."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="225193e9e9141eb4e8444ad071812528""Good girl, Marley."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="02ecf08d962281c433e7a123e620a6c5"Ezra/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="b40a2004629dc1da47fa82a81b36ebc4"We were waiting in the parking lot for them when they arrived. I saw her before I saw him and I ran toward her./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="c026113e7cf25f10d2f13438eee86eb3""Marley!" I called, she glared at me and stepped backwards as I tried to hug her./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="4bc8a2c521595a79b9d1d3b8cf376eba""Get away from me!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="7782bbbb7d6d2685c04c66430492175e"I could feel my heart sink into my stomach. I turned around to look at the man who created my daughter./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="202b222ff36ab7cd8c3b548e661014dd""You did this..." I stated it as a fact. He shrugged and smiled an ugly smile. His teeth were disgusting, probably from all the cigarettes he smoked, I could smell the smoke before he got out of his car./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="f64ae508a99b9def136d8e0316fed54b""Yah, well Alison was a big part of it, too."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="66a3e779065fdadf114f98449793d1fc"I looked back to Marley and got on my knees so I was as tall as her./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="0cfc7d9334c2eb49c3772af650378678""Marley, I don't know what they told you...but I love you. I will always love you no matter what." She chin wobbled a bit as tears started coming from her eyes. I thought she was going to finally give in and hug me, but I was 100% wrong./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="c7de5e57430cfb75e7d2812970e63254"She was stubborn, just like her mother./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="0f4c1e718cdecdd4812b376de995c5f4""I hate you. You ruined our family and you left me! You left me!" She screamed and ran into Toby's arms./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="8b6d06fd1f3be9964b4dd2f82b11384b"Aria ran out of the building to meet me, probably because she heard all of the screaming, but she stopped as soon as she saw Toby./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="158cabb3ce3c7f69ed2adb0a6af75401""Toby?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="a5f390589eddddea253dd43791f51476""Oh, Aria. What a pleasure to see you." He sneered. He walked past her and into the building./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="9149b801838525cd1556ff5541fa1044"Today was going to be terrible. I could feel it./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="3a74cebf8cfb79daf6733163d124a9bc"I was not going to get custody of Marley./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="fddfa7d15eb6c3e7baae3baa095233ed"It was too late./p