As always, thanks for the love. For the sake of this story, although Ali is alive and no longer on the run, she doesn't return to Rosewood. Here's the next chapter.

Aria

It had been a week since Aria and Ezra had begun sleeping together again. Last night was the first time that they had spent the night at her house, and Aria was ready to return home to the amazing man she left asleep in her bed. Aria sat at a table at the Brew, waiting for her mother to arrive. They had agreed to having breakfast together. Aria heard the bell above the door go off, and smiled as she saw Ella enter the establishment. Ella made her way over to her daughter and smiled.

"Morning, sweetie," Ella said as she hugged her daughter.

"Morning, mom," Aria responded.

The two placed their orders and made small talk. Aria was glad that their conversation didn't include anything about Ezra and the fact that the two renewed their physical relationship.

Ezra

Ezra stirred in his sleep, before finally waking up. It was Saturday morning and he enjoyed getting a couple extra hours of sleep. He turned over and noticed that Aria was nowhere to be found. He looked over at the clock and noticed it was almost 10 am. Ezra pushed himself up, and looked around Aria's bedroom, but she was still nowhere to be found. He climbed out of her bed, and made his way over to the bathroom. Just as he was about to open the door, Mike walked out and smirked at Ezra as he exited the bathroom.

"Have a good night?" Mike asked his sister's boyfriend and former teacher.

"Yeah, when did you get in?"

"About one," Mike responded in a friendly tone. Ever since his father started working at Syracuse, Mike and Aria no longer abided by Byron's curfew on Fridays, while he was away, since he normally didn't return home until Saturday afternoon. Mike then headed to his bedroom, leaving the bathroom available for Ezra to use. After he finished using the facilities, Ezra made his way down to the first level of the Montgomery's home. Once he entered the kitchen, he noticed a fresh pot of coffee. After removing a cup from the cabinet, Ezra poured himself a cup, and noticed a note from Aria, "Meeting mom for breakfast, I'll be home about 10, help yourself to anything in the fridge. Love you."

Ezra smiled at the simple letter, before searching for something to eat. Midway through making some bacon and eggs, Ezra heard the front door open. Thinking it was Aria returning from her outing with Ella, Ezra said, "Missed you this morning, babe." As Ezra turned around to face his girlfriend, the smile on his face disappeared as he saw the last person he wanted to see after a sleepover at his girlfriend's house.

"Byron, hey," was all that Ezra could muster enough courage to say in this moment.

"Ezra, what are you doing here?"

Aria

Aria pulled into the driveway of her house, noticing her father's car parked out front. She panicked, wondering why he was home so early. Her father never arrived home before noon on Saturdays, which would have given her plenty of time for a quickie with Ezra, before Byron returned. She shut off the engine, and exited the car, hastily running up the walkway, and opening the door to her home. Just as she did, she heard her father , "Ezra, what are you doing here?" Just as Ezra was about to respond to Byron's question, they were interrupted by the door opening.

Byron

"Dad, you're home early," Aria said trying to casually defuse the situation.

"Aria, what the hell is going on here?"

Aria remained silent, making her way over to where a shirtless Ezra stood, grabbing a hold of his hand, before looking up at her father and finally answering his question, "Ezra spent the night."

The vain in Byron's head began to throb as he put two and two together. His daughter had sex with her boyfriend in his house. The anger began to build inside of him, as he balled his hand into a fist, and made his way towards the man who had taken his daughter's innocence. Just as he was about to throw said fist towards the man standing in front of him, he realized for the first time that Ezra wasn't wearing a shirt. As he looked down at Ezra's abdomen, he saw the scar the that rested there. Byron then backed away, remembering how he got it. He then thought back to that night, the night he discovered what had happened in New York.

Byron sat at his desk in his office, sipping scotch, as he graded papers, while a fire crackled in the fireplace behind him. Just as he was about to refill his glass, he heard the front door open, before hearing his ex-wife call out his name.

"I'm in here, Ella," he responded, before noticing the terrified look on her face.

"Is Aria here?" Ella asked worriedly as she made her way over to where he stood.

"No, no one's home," his voiced broke as worry began to corse through his veins, "why?"

"Nobody can find any of the girls, not their parents or the police."

The word police caused him to worry even more. Just as he was about to respond to Ella's comment, he heard the door open once again.

"Aria?" Byron asked hopefully, only to see his son walk in instead.

"It's just me, what's wrong?"

Just as Byron was about to respond to his son's question, he heard his phone ring from where it rested on his desk. Picking it up, and seeing Aria's name across the screen, Byron answered, "Aria?"

"Daddy, I need you," was all Aria said, Byron hearing the sadness in her voice.

"Where are you?"

After learning she was, and her exact location, he grabbed his keys, and the Montgomery family made their way to New York. Two hours later, they walked into the hospital, searching for her. They found her and her friends in the waiting room of the hospital's emergency room, and made their way over to them. Byron noticed the blood that covered his daughter's hands, and his fear increased ten fold.

"What happened?" Byron asked his hysterical daughter, ignoring the fourth person sitting with her friends. Ella however noticed the person soon after.

"Alison?"

Byron and Mike then turned to notice the formerly dead girl very much alive. The unexpected moment was broken by Aria finally giving an explanation.

"Someone with a gun tried to hurt us and-" Aria became choked up before continuing, "and Ezra got s-shot protecting us." After she finished, she broke down, the tears flowing non-stop. Both her parents made their way over and enveloped their daughter in a hug. Tears streaming down all their faces, hoping that Ezra's life didn't end tonight.

The fact that Ezra risked his life to save the lives of his daughter and her friends, was something that Byron had always been grateful for. As tears began to form in his eyes, Aria turned to Ezra and asked, "Can you give us a moment?"

Ezra just nodded, and made his way back upstairs. Byron remained silent, processing what he had just saw. He wasn't as naïve as he seemed, deep down a part of him knew what was going on when she was with him at his apartment, but if he didn't see it or know about it, he just assumed it wasn't happening. But seeing him, half-naked in his home, he had to face the reality that he refused to accept, that Ezra Fitz had deflowered his little girl.

Aria

After Aria turned off the stove to make sure her house didn't burn down, she made her way over to where her father had taken a seat, and placed her hand on his shoulder.

"Daddy?"

Byron smiled at what Aria said.

"Are you okay?" Aria asked already knowing the answer.

"I just can't believe that my little girl lost her virginity last night."

Aria did her best to stifle a laugh at her father's comment. Little did he know, Ezra may have taken her virginity, but he wasn't the only guy she had slept with. She decide not to press her luck and just let him believe what he wanted to believe. Aria placed a kiss to his cheek, before making her way up to her bedroom, leaving her father to process the fact that his little girl was now a woman. As she entered her room, she saw Ezra getting dressed, ready to get the hell out of dodge.

"Is it safe?" Ezra asked, "or do I need to climb out the window?"

Aria let out a chuckle at Ezra's attempt to lighten the mood.

"I don't think he'll kill you, Ezra, he knows what you mean to me." Aria retorted, trying to keep the mood light, hoping that Ezra wouldn't freak out about her father learning of their amorous activity.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I think he just wants you out of the house."

Ezra just nodded as he made his way over to her, placing his hands on her hips, before placing a loving kiss to her lips. Aria returned the gesture, before pulling away, and looking deep into the blue eyes she loved so much.

"Maybe we should just stick to having fun in your apartment."

Ezra nodded in agreement, before putting on his coat and making his way towards the door.

"Call you later?"

"You better," was all that Aria said as she watched the love of her life walk out of her bedroom and down the stairs, about to face the wrath of her father.

Ezra

Ezra reached the lower level of the house, and made his way towards the door. Just as he was about to exit the house, he heard Byron call out his name. Ezra made his way over to Byron's office, and stood nervously in the door way. Byron rose from his desk, and looked the younger man in the eyes.

"If you ever hurt her-" Ezra quickly cut him off,

"I would never do that, Byron, I love her."

Byron just nodded and turned back towards his desk. Just as Ezra began to make his way towards the door, Byron turned to him and said,

"I can't stop you and Aria from doing what you did last night, but I don't want it to happen in this house ever again."

Ezra nodded in agreement, before reaching for the door knob and exiting the house. Byron now knew that he and Aria were sleeping together and was just glad he made it out of the house alive.

Reviews always welcome.