The days following his visit to Aria, Ezra was more miserable than he had ever been in his entire life. She had basically just then shut him out of her life and vice versa. He thought it was hard not being able to see her in class before, but that was when he would visit her every other day. At least he had that to look forward to, but now he had nothing. Absolutely nothing. All Ezra wanted was to hold her and tell her everything was going to be okay like he had done prior to the present day, but that would no longer be possible. He wondered why she suddenly wanted this. Ezra knew he was Aria's rock, so he couldn't quite ponder a reason and he didn't think he ever would. He didn't mind visiting her and he didn't mind that he was going to have to wait so many years for her to get out, all Ezra cared about was being with her and starting a family when she did get out, no matter how old they may be. The days wore on and Ezra wrote a letter to Aria every day, eventually going to give them all to her. Aria's school work was delivered to Aria by Ella and returned to the school by Ella, since Aria told her mother she didn't need any more help with the lessons since school was about to end. The school year was about to come to an end and Ezra knew he would be more miserable once it ended because he wouldn't be able to still see her handwriting at least. These small things he would miss and they were things that he never thought that he'd have to miss.


Spencer wasn't acting herself and everyone could tell. She had been acting strange for the past couple weeks and no one knew why. Everyone still thought that she was visiting Aria, but only Ezra and Spencer knew the truth, and she didn't know that he knew. Her head felt like it was going to explode every day that she thought about Aria and how she is innocent and serving time and how she can't face her because of what she knows. Spencer was about to be at her breaking point if she didn't tell someone soon. She thought maybe she should tell Ezra, since they were working together on the snooping, but she decided against it and kept everything bottled inside. She stuck with not telling Ezra until the last day of school. She couldn't handle it any longer. But towards the end of the day, Spencer decided to go and tell him, she couldn't wait until the last day of school. It suddenly seemed too far away.

After her last class of the day, Spencer made her way to Ezra's classroom, knocking on the door before slowly opening it and entering. He was sitting at his desk, grading the last of the finals his class had taken. He looked up from his desk and was shocked to see Spencer standing there, tears forming in her eyes. He swiftly got up from his desk and ran over to her, enveloping her in his arms.

"Spencer, what's wrong. You've been acting so distant lately and not communicating with anyone and I know you stopped visiting Aria, she told me. And now you are in my classroom standing in front of me crying into my chest. Please tell me what's wrong," Ezra pleaded with her.

Spencer slowly pulled away from Ezra and met his gaze. "I know who really killed Ali." Her voice was strained, and Ezra knew it must have been painful for her to finally say those words.

He gently pulled her back into a hug and she cried into his chest for five minutes, letting all her emotions spill out in those tears. When she pulled away again, she went and sat down at a desk and Ezra followed and sat in one directly in front of her. "I stopped visiting Aria because she knew I was investigating and asked me about it. Once I found out who it really was, I couldn't visit her anymore. I couldn't hurt her like that, Ezra. I just couldn't. And before you start thinking it is her parents' it isn't. I know it sounds like it might be, but I promise it's not. It's… it's my mom," Spencer spat out before looking up to Ezra to see how he reacted to her response.

"Spencer, you can't be serious," Ezra said with a stern tone.

"Oh, but I am," Spencer said coldly.

"How did you find this out?" Ezra asked her, wanting to know the full story.

Spencer shifted her gaze to her lap and fiddled with her fingers. "Well, as you know, I was still doing some investigating. I snuck into my mom's office while she was at work and started looking through her files on Aria's case. There wasn't anything different about it that she said in court so I just let it go and when I put the file up, I knocked off a basket that was sitting on top the filing cabinet. A bunch of papers spilled out and I picked them back up to put them back into the basket when one caught my eye because it had Aria's name on the top of it. I noticed that it was like an apology letter but I didn't know what for so I sat down on the floor to read it. When I started reading it, there wasn't a mention to what she was apologizing for other than putting her daughter's best friend behind bars for a murder that she knew Aria didn't commit. I was curious then as to how she knew she really didn't commit it and when I continued reading, I saw where she told her she was sorry for making her think that she killed Ali and that she was now behind bars for twenty five years because of her, and that it wasn't just because she was the one who put her there, but because she was the one who killed Ali. She proceeded to say that she was walking behind them on their way back home and that she was mad at Ali for something that she had said about me and she wanted to talk with her. So she followed them onto the trail, not knowing that Aria was about to hit her. When she followed them onto the trail she hid behind a tree and watched as Aria through the boulder at Ali and then she ran up behind Aria and knocked her unconscious and then she took the boulder and continued to bash Ali with it. Eventually Ali died and she ran away, leaving Aria to do all the dirty work and letting her live with the guilt for over a year," Spencer told Ezra, relaying every detail she had read to him.

Ezra was stunned by all the new information that Spencer had just told him so he just sat there, letting everything register. "So, have you told anyone else about this?"

"No, I've just told you. I can't trust anyone else. I can't even tell Hanna or Emily, Ezra. And I sure as hell can't tell Aria because it will hurt her just like it is hurting me. I can't hurt her any more than she is already hurt. All she has right now is you, and that is one thing I know she loves. She can count on your visits, whereas she can't mine. I don't know how to tell her. I know I need to, but I can't Ezra. It will be too hard. Do you think you could take a letter to her for me? It would mean a lot," Spencer asked with pleading eyes.

Ezra looked at her and tried to fake a smile but failed miserably and Spencer noticed. "I can't really take a letter to her, Spencer. She told me to stop visiting her and move on with my life, but that's the problem, I can't move on. I've been so down in the dumps lately and I just need her. I need to hear her voice and see her beautiful face, but I can't do that when she isn't allowing me to come visit her. Maybe you should just make a stop by there and let her know that you haven't stopped caring about her and that things have come up and just give her a letter or just tell her in person. I know you said it will hurt her, but she needs to know, Spencer. She needs to know that she really isn't guilty and she needs to know that there may be hope that she won't have to stay in prison for her entire sentence and that she can get out in a few months. She needs to know this Spencer, but first, your mother needs to know that you know she killed Ali."

Spencer knew Ezra was right, but she didn't know how she was going to tell her mom and Aria that she knew the truth. "Thank you, Ezra. Thank you for listening and telling me what to do. I appreciate it and see now why Aria is so in love with you." Spencer got up and walked out the classroom, walking down the corridor and exiting the building making her way to her car to start the drive home and she knew once she arrived at her house she would have to have the dreaded conversation with her mother that she didn't want to have, but she had no choice. She had to get it off of her chest again, but this time to the actual murderer. Spencer pulled into her drive and put the car in park, noticing that her mom wasn't home yet. She quickly gathered her things and made her way inside, sitting down at the little bar in her kitchen and thought about what she was going to tell Veronica once she entered the door. Spencer was pulled out of her thoughts ten minutes later by the slamming of a car door and the front door opening, revealing her mother.

"Hey honey, how was your day?" asked Veronica Hastings.

"Splendid." Replied Spencer.

Veronica had noticed something off in her daughters behavior over the past couple weeks, but hadn't questioned it. But now she had no choice but to. "Spencer, you know don't you," Veronica asked her daughter.

Spencer looked up and met her mother's gaze for the first time in two weeks. Spencer just nodded her head, letting out an exasperated sigh. "How could you not tell me? How could you sit there and act like everything is perfectly fine?! How could you let my best friend go to jail for something she didn't do?! HOW?! Because of you, I have had to stop visiting Aria since I found out the truth! I can't stand to be around her since I know who really killed Ali. She knew I was doing some investigating and the last time she asked me if I knew anything new, I had to lie and say no! Do you know how hard it was to lie to her, mom? Do you? It wasn't easy considering I live with the murderer!" Spencer screamed at her mother.

Veronica just stood there dumbfounded, not able to find words to retort to her daughter. When she did finally find words, she could only hope her daughter would listen to what she had to say. "Spence, honey, please listen to me. I never wanted to put Aria behind bars, but I couldn't let us get a bad reputation. Her family was already having problems so I thought it would be fine, but now I don't really know why I thought that would make anything better for us. If anything, it made you miserable and I'm sorry. It just seemed like a good thing to do at the time and I wish now that I never would have sent her away and just confessed right then and there. You don't know how hard it was to look at her, Spencer. To sit there and say she killed someone when you know she didn't do it was the hardest thing I could have ever done. Especially since she grew up with you and I'm like her second mother. I know she will never look at me the same again, and I know she will probably never forgive me for what I did, but I don't want it to ruin y'all's friendship, Spence. I'm gonna go to the jail tomorrow and confess and see what we can do to get her out. But do me a favor, please go visit her right now and tell her this. Please, Spencer," Veronica begged. Spencer had tears in her eyes and she just nodded her head yes, grabbed her car keys and made her way out the door to head to the prison.

Spencer pulled up to the prison gates twenty minutes later and made her way inside. She was led to the visiting room and seated, only having to wait for Aria to come out and see her. When she saw Aria, tears started streaming down her face, finally feeling relieved that she was seeing her best friend for the first time in weeks and because she was about to tell her the devastating news for the first time.

"Spencer! I can't believe you are here! Why did you finally decide to show up all of a sudden? I've missed your visits so much!" Aria said all in a rush.

"I-I have some news to tell you. Some news that you aren't going to want to hear, but need too. But first, why did you tell Ezra to stop visiting you and to move on? It's eating him alive and I can tell it's doing the exact same to you, Aria. You can't do this to yourself or him for that matter. Ezra loves you a hell of a lot and I hope you know that. He hasn't been himself these past couple weeks in class," said Spencer.

Aria had tears streaming down her face and she wiped them away. "Spencer, I love him with all my heart and I just couldn't let him come and visit me and act like it wasn't bothering him to have to come to jail to visit his girlfriend and he shouldn't have to do that, Spence. I know I hurt him, damn; it hurt me for the first week after I told him to stop visiting me. It wasn't easy getting up the courage to spit those words out at him, to be frank, it honestly hurt like hell. To tell him to move on felt like poison on my tongue, it was something that should have never been said. I can still remember what his face looked like after I told him that. It completely dropped from happiness to total nothingness. You couldn't detect a single emotion until he began to speak again, and his voice was thick with sadness, and it was unbearable. I had to look away, and when he left, I was somewhat relieved, but became depressed at the same time."

Spencer looked at her friend and gave a half smile. "Hey, you know it doesn't bother him to come and visit you. He loves you, and he would go anywhere and do anything to visit you, to see you. Ezra told me he misses your voice, and your face. He can't stand it, Ar. If you would please just let him come and visit you, that's all he needs," replied Spencer.

"I know, and I'll think about it. Now, what was the news? I hope I can handle it," said Aria.

"Okay, as you know, the last time you asked me if I had any new information on what happened that night, I got up and walked out. Well, I had information but I couldn't bear to tell anyone. I finally told Ezra today and he was the one who persuaded me to come here and tell you, but first he managed to get me to confront the actual killer. That person was also someone who told me to come here and tell you what I'm about to say. Aria, the murderer of Ali, it was- it was my mom." Spencer dared a look at Aria who just sat there, stunned at what she had just heard from her best friend.

"Spencer, you can't be serious," Aria nearly choked.

"Oh, but I am. I confronted her about it and she told me that she was terribly sorry to do this to you and that she is coming up here in the morning to confess and to see if she can get you out in a couple months or maybe less than that. She really is truly sorry, Aria. I found a letter in her office and it was an apology letter to you and she said so much in it about how she was sorry she done this to you and she told me that it was hard to stand there in front of the court room and say you killed someone when she knew you were completely innocent. She will never truly forgive herself for this, Aria. Just know that. Please, you don't have to forgive her, but please try and understand. She told me that since your family was already going through hard times she figured it wouldn't matter, but she said her logic was stupid and she really didn't know why she thought that. It never really made sense. Just because y'all were going through a hard time, adding sending you to jail would just make things worse and now she realizes that. She realized that as soon as you were said to be guilty. Look, I'm sorry for not telling this to you sooner, but it was just so hard to come to terms with. I understand if you hate me right now, but just don't shut me out forever and do yourself a favor and let Ezra back into your life. It would do all of us some good," said Spencer.

"Spencer, I don't hate you. I understand how hard this was for you to come to terms with. Your mom killed one of our best friends for crying out loud, I can see how this is hard for you and I don't judge you for not telling me. You have nothing to worry about when it comes to our friendship because we are solid and after everything, I know you are always going to be here for me and I will always be here for you. And I can't fully forgive your mom right now, but she is like a second mother to me and eventually I will come around. Do I like her any less than I did before? No, I don't. My feelings for her haven't changed. I still love her like a mother and always will. Do I wish things were different right now? Of course I do, but you can't change the past. What's done is done and it's over. Everything will eventually pass and will be back to normal," replied Aria.

Spencer wiped away the tears from her eyes and smiled at Aria. "Thanks for understanding. I guess I will see you tomorrow, bye Ar. Love you!" Spencer said as she stood up and hugged Aria before exiting the visiting room. Once she got to her car, she let the tears fall like a waterfall, unable to stop them, but she didn't care. She grabbed her phone and texted Ezra, asking him if she could come over to his apartment. She had gotten his number when they started working on finding new information together, and she figured it might come in handy to have it one day, and today was that day. Ezra replied saying she could come over and she quickly pulled out of the parking lot and made her way to his apartment.

Fifteen minutes later, Spencer sat on the sofa in Ezra's apartment, tissue in hand and constantly wiping her eyes with it. Ezra was seated across from her on the sofa, gently rubbing her arm, trying to soothe her.

"She just accepted it, Ezra. She didn't lash out or anything. I don't know why she didn't! It doesn't make any sense!" Spencer sobbed uncontrollably to Ezra and he just sat there listening to everything she had to say.

"Maybe she is okay with it, Spencer. Maybe she knows that your mom didn't want to hurt her, and Aria isn't one to hold a grudge for very long. She is probably hurt, but she isn't going to let that affect anything. The hurt will eventually subside and everything will be fine again, I promise," said Ezra reassuringly.

Spencer looked at him and smiled. "Thank you, Ezra. And I told Aria about you and she said she would think about letting you come and visit, and I'm not going to let her think about it. I'm going back to visit her tomorrow and you are coming with me. Deal? She misses you so much and she told me it was like poison on her tongue to tell you to see other people and forget about her. She said she knew you were unhappy having to come and visit her in jail, but I told her you weren't and that you would go anywhere or do anything to be with her and she finally agreed that you would. Ezra, she loves you to pieces and the last thing that I know she wants to happen is for you to get hurt and I know you feel the same about her. So, tomorrow you are coming with me. We are skipping school and going to the jail," Spencer explained.

Ezra just nodded and relaxed back into the sofa, Spencer doing the same. They just sat there for a little while, both trying to process everything that was just said between the two before Ezra spoke up.

"Would you like to stay for dinner or do you have to leave?"

"I need to go home and talk to my mom, but thanks for the offer," Spencer answered with a smile. She stood up from where she was sitting and headed towards the apartment door, Ezra following behind her. "Thanks for letting me stop by. I needed someone to talk to after everything," Spencer said. Ezra gave her a small nod of his head and smiled as she exited his apartment. He knew Aria had the best friends, but he knew that Spencer was the best out of all of them and would do everything she could to be there for Aria in any way.


Back at Spencer's house, Spencer went and sat down in the living room, ready to talk with her mom again. Veronica walked in and sat down beside her daughter, not exactly knowing what to say since the earlier events that had taken place.

"Mom, I'm sorry for the way I acted earlier, but it was just a lot to take in at once. I wish you would have told me and not let Aria go to jail, but those events are in the past and we can't help that any longer. I talked with Aria and she said that she can't fully forgive you right now, but she will come around because you are like a second mom to her and she loves you. She also said that nothing between you two has changed based on feelings and that is excellent considering what you have done to her," said Spencer.

Veronica looked at her daughter and just sighed, she really didn't know what to say and she felt horrible about the whole situation. "Spencer, thank you for talking to her and I love you so much. I understand fully if you don't want to be near me right now and I'm okay with that. Please go and get some rest and don't worry about me. I will be fine," replied Veronica.

Spencer nodded and stood up, walking upstairs to her room. She sat down on her bed and pulled out her phone to text Ezra, telling him she talked to her mom and that they were still going to continue with their plans for tomorrow.

The next morning, spencer woke up to her alarm, and got ready for school, although she wasn't going today. Once she was finished getting ready she made her way downstairs and drove to Ezra's place, meeting him outside and she got into his car.

"You do realize your mom is going to be at the jail at the same time as us, right?" asked Ezra.

Spencer looked over to him and smiled. "I know, which is why I want to be there to hear her confess that she was the one who killed Ali. I really want to hear her confess, Ezra."

Ezra drove to the jail and sat out in the parking lot, waiting for Veronica to arrive. Once Spencer and Ezra saw her pull up, they waited for her to go inside to building before they got out. They eased out of the car and into the building, staying out of sight of veronica.

"Okay, I'm gonna walk up there and ask to see Aria, say I have an assignment to discuss with her that she turned in," whispered Ezra.

"Okay," responded Spencer.

Ezra casually walked up to the desk beside Veronica and asked to see Aria. Veronica didn't even acknowledge that Ezra was standing five feet from her and she continued talking to the policeman at the front. As Ezra grabbed the pen to sign in, he heard the words he never thought he would hear.

"I need to confess something about the Montgomery case. Miss Montgomery really wasn't the one who killed the DiLaurentis girl. It was a man named Ezra. Ezra Fitz," said Veronica.

As soon as the words came out of her mouth, the pen dropped from Ezra's hand and his face went pale as a ghost. Only then did Veronica look over to see him standing there, a sly smile plastered on her face.

Hope you liked what I did with this chapter! Suggestions on how Spencer tries to keep Ezra from going to jail are welcome! Please review and let me know what you think! (: