I'm working on updating all my other stories. So far, this has been the one that I've felt the most confident with. It's probably because I have a clear idea of where it's going to go. Don't worry; tomorrow I'll be working on Safe Place. I'm going to sit myself down and write out a chapter if it's the last thing I do. With some help, I might be able to drag up a couple ideas for the next chapter.

This chapter isn't as long as I'd have liked, but I'm going to start working on how to pound out chapters with more than two thousand words. If any other author reading this has an idea or any tips, they'd be greatly appreciated!

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

I think you guys will love this chapter.

"So, you're moving in with him. How does that feel?" A pile of compressed cardboard boxes sat on the floor of Aria's bedroom, while she and Spencer folded clothes. Aria wouldn't have cared if she just threw things into the boxes and sort them out at Ezra's spacious apartment, but Spencer seemed to have a methodical way to folding everything and sorting them out. For their last moments as roommates, she didn't want to take the liberty away from her.

She raised an eyebrow and shrugged. "It feels like nothing," Aria answered. Honestly, it didn't. She and Ezra were friends at the moment. Despite the growing feelings, that was how things were. Aria didn't feel like a giddy little schoolgirl. "It feels natural. Ezra and I are best friends."

"You could've fooled me with the death grip you had on his hand the other night."

"That's different, Spencer and you know it," she replied, taking a light pink blouse into her hands. The silk-like material felt good in between Aria's fingertips; it had always been one of her favorite shirts. It also served as a reminder than in a few months, she wouldn't be able to wear it anymore.

"How is it different?" Spencer had moved from Aria's blouses to her dresses. That would most likely take of majority of the time, seeing as she owned tons. First came a little black dress with a cut out in the back. It wasn't too hard to fold, at least for Spencer.

"Because I was nervous. Do you know how it feels to have to stand in front of your friends and say you're pregnant with your best friend's baby?"

"It wasn't so hard for you at the restaurant," Spencer remarked with a shrug. Aria was defenseless there. The words had easily spilled out of her mouth before she bolted, but emotions had been running high all night.

"Emotions were high," Aria said, putting the pink blouse into a box.

"Still, you didn't need to hold Ezra's hand like your very life depended on it. And you didn't need to look so infatuated with him."

"I didn't look infatuated with him," she gasped, putting down the floral patterned shirt that she had picked up.

"I don't think you see it, Aria," Spencer said. "You look at Ezra and it makes everyone else feel uncomfortable because I'm pretty sure that it makes you two feel like the only people in the room."

"I….," Aria began, trying to defend herself. Unfortunately, she came up short. Her heart did flutter in her chest when she looked at Ezra; tall, dark, and handsome Ezra. But Aria never paid much attention to the expressions on her face. That had been something she never did. Aria only cared about the emotions in her head.

"Exactly. Match point." Spencer smirked against and threw a dress into the box before something rumbled from the living room. Both girls scrambled up from the king sized bed to make sure nobody or anything had been damaged.

The sight that they were met with made Aria burst into hysterics and Spencer cover her mouth with her hand while giggles shook her shoulders. Hanna was mid-yell, clipboard in hand. Ezra was backed away against the wall with his hands up in a surrender sign, while Wren and Caleb stood right by the toppled over bookshelf.

"You have way too many books, Ar," Ezra said, his eyes still wide. "And you," he continued, turning to Hanna with an outstretched finger, "need to stop giving false alarms because then they turn into something real."

"Don't blame this on me," Hanna argued. "Blame Butterfingers over there." She pointed to Wren with her highlighter.

"Caleb shouted, which scared me," Wren complained. Caleb was left defenseless, except for the pout on his face.

"Enough of the blame game," Aria said, laughter still evident in her voice. "Just get it cleaned up soon. The van's going to be here in twenty minutes to bring it over to Ezra's."

Not wanting to have to be responsible with helping clean up the books, Aria and Spencer quickly retreated into her bedroom again, holding in their laughter until the door was shut safely behind them.

Moving had been absolute chaos; even more so than packing. But soon enough, Aria and Ezra were seated on the floor of his three bedroom apartment, couch pushed back with cartons of takeout in their laps. Ezra had a guest room, which was now Aria's and the study had been converted into a clear space for the baby. Although, if things went right, Aria's room could go to being the study and she'd take her place in his bedroom.

"Well, that was fun," Ezra laughed. He brushed a hand through his dark hair and sighed. There were still a few boxes lying around, but for the most part, things were in their rightful place.

"Lots," Aria agreed with the nod of her head, although she was far more distracted with the Chinese noodles in the white box. Her chopsticks plucked then up into her mouth, ceasing the grumbles in her stomach. The baby had been insatiable all day, until now. "Although, the highlight was when you boys make the book case fall."

"We did not," Ezra said, putting down his box. He had been full for the past five minutes anyways.

"Did to," Aria giggled, moving closer to him.

"Did not," Ezra moved closer, his hands subconsciously grabbing Aria's waist.

Aria barely noticed how close they were to one another. Their petty and somewhat childish argument was putting all logic from her mind. What lingered was the feeling of being with Ezra. Ducking her head, their lips almost touched as Aria whispered "Did to."

Their eyes met and for once, Aria didn't shirk back. She was tired of pushing down feelings. One kiss; she could allow herself one kiss and leave it for the night to think about. Maybe in the morning she'd figure out what she wanted.

"Be with me, Aria," Ezra said, bringing her from her thoughts. His voice was soft and pleading. Aria's lips parted with a gasp, unsure of what to say. Being together, or being in a relationship had been a subject they were skirting around for ages. But here it was, smack dab in their faces.

"Be with you?" Aria decided to play it coyly. "I am with you, Ezra. I'm living with you."

"That's not what I meant. I mean, be mine." Their heartbeats were audible, completely filling up the silence of the apartment.

"I don't want to rush anything," Aria said, the fear of losing him resurfacing. Aria hadn't through much about it in the past few days; her main concern was telling him about the baby and dealing with everything that came along with that.

"How can we rush things now? We're living together and you're pregnant with my baby. I—I'm so in love with you, Aria." Ezra's voice faltered as tears built up in his eyes. "You know how I feel and I know you feel something too. I don't care how long it takes for you to feel the same as me, but if you want to, it's best to start now."

Aria did want to feel the way Ezra did about her. She was admitting it now. She wanted to be in love with him. She wanted him to be her crutch in the same way Caleb was for Hanna and Wren for Spencer. And it would take a long time, but Ezra had a point. Things were barely complicated at the moment and it was realistically the right time.

"If…if I say I want to be with you too, I want to take it slow. I'm…I'm not going to jump into your bed at the end of tonight. I'm not going to say I love you when I'm not at that stage yet. As long as you're willing to wait and be patient with me."

Ezra's face spread into a smile and the pent up tears spilled over onto his cheeks. Aria giggled lightly and brushed them away with her fingertips. "Don't cry. I'm not worth crying over."

"You don't know your own worth, Aria Montgomery," Ezra laughed. "Or how happy you've made me."

"I think I have a pretty good idea," she chuckled, acknowledging his tears. "Unless you're crying out of sadness for the fact you're stuck with me."

"Never." He took her hand in his and pressed it against his tee shirt clothed chest. Aria could feel his heart being against his rib cage. "Do you want to put labels or anything…?"

"No," Aria said, shaking her head. "I'm sorry, but when I meant slow, I meant slow. I don't want to rush because we have so much at stake."

"I understand," Ezra with the nod of his head. "I wouldn't jump into anything you didn't want regardless."

"There is one thing I want."

"What's that?"

"This." Aria lightly pressed her lips against his in what was a sweet kiss. One of her hands placed itself on the back of his neck, feeling the soft skin and the baby hairs that were wispy feeling. Aria's other hand caressed Ezra's jaw line, making smooth circle motions.

Ezra's hands found their grip on her waist and held Aria tight against his chest. Their legs intertwined due to their seated position on the ground. But before it could get too heated, Aria pulled away and kissed Ezra's nose lightly.

"Why'd you stop," Ezra whined, pouting.

"We've got to be careful."

"In what way? You're already pregnant."

Aria laughed at his joke and rolled her eyes. She pushed her body away from his, but kept their fingers interlaced as they sat with their backs against his couch. "You know what I mean."

He groaned, but it mixed with a chuckle towards the end. Ezra couldn't believe his luck; Aria had been so resistant, but here she was eager to start on the road towards a relationship with him, regardless of what benefits that being together would provide for their baby.

Aria beamed at him before resting her head on his shoulder. Things felt right; maybe being in a relationship with him at some point was the right direction instead of only being friends. In her mind, things could only go up from this point.

"Do you want to watch a movie?" Aria was about to agree with Ezra's offer, but her eyes caught the clock. It was getting late and they both had work in the morning; after putting off work and leaving someone else in charge, Aria was coming off her "medical leave" and going back.

"It's late," she said, getting up from the floor. "And we both have work in the morning. You need to be up early to get to the school."

"You're right," Ezra shrugged, pulling himself up as well. "So, we'll call it a night?"

"I think so," Aria complied, the smile still not leaving her face. Ezra's hadn't left either.

"I'll see you in the morning," he said, kissing Aria's forehead before retreating into his room. Aria followed in suit, but her mind was in an absolute daze. It wasn't until she closed her new bedroom door that she burst into a fit of excited giggles before collapsing on her bed.