A/N: I was really excited to upload the first part of this story, I hope you guys enjoy this part. Thanks for reading, and please take a second to review the story for me!

Disclaimer: I do not own PLL, or any of its associated characters or storylines. I do however, own whatever original stories I write on here.

"Aria… what the hell? What… happened to you?" Ezra's mouth was gaping open, clearly in shock at the state his former lover is now in. She looks… bad. Actually, bad doesn't even begin to describe her. Her appearance isn't bad as in the way of ugly, she's by far the most beautiful woman Ezra has ever met, but he has no physical attraction to this now skeleton of a woman whom he once loved. Besides the numerous bruises that were patchily attempted at covering up, the horrendous state she is clearly in, isn't obvious to the common passerby. But this was his Aria, he memorized every single inch of her before he left. This is not the Aria he left behind a year ago. This girl looks damaged, broken, sick even. She always had a petite frame, but now, is at least twenty pounds lighter. Her face is drained of all colour besides the bruises, she looks almost ghost-like. The hands he used to love kissing are now incredibly nimble and bony, shaking as he tucks a stand of hair behind her ears. Her hair has clearly not been dealt with in months; the colour is fading and the ends are shaggy. Along with that, her clothes are plain and baggy, and her collarbone is jutting out of her shoulder. The cheery smile she would constantly wear around is now a sad, forced smile. All of these little things might be nothing separate, but all together, shows a sign that something is most definitely, not right.

Aria's face gave nothing away as to the reason she looks so unhealthy. "Wow, it's nice to see you too, Ezra. It was really great to hear from you these past few months. Really, I'm glad that I wasted my minutes calling someone who might as well not even own a phone altogether."

With a burst of anger, she gave him a harsh glare, and attempted to shove past him, back up the stairs. However, her weak muscles were no match for the older man, who clearly knew his way around a gym. Ezra effortlessly blocked her path of escape, and gently grabbed her wrist, afraid if he pulled too hard he would bruise her.
"Aria, you have every right to hate me. I know, I wasn't there for you. And I know what you were going through—."

Aria's face was now faded of pale, and lit up red with fury. With a raised voice, tears pouring from her eyes, Aria challenged him, "Are you kidding me? You have no idea what I went through these past few months! You have avoided every single one of my calls, Ezra, so how DARE you say that you understand anything? What happened to, "Aria, I'll call every day, I promise this will work?" Where the hell were you when I was crying myself to sleep every night for the past few months, because I was alone and hurting, and all I wanted was you? Huh? Where were you when I was getting punched over and over again for refusing him, until I agreed to let him do things to me? Where the hell were you? Screw you, Ezra!"

This time, when Aria pushed past him, he let her go. There was nothing he could say in this moment to make it all better. Partly because he was in shock, but also because he knew she was right. He let this happen to her. If he just answered one phone call, she would be okay. He silently cursed himself over and over again, until he realized that she hadn't actually ran back up the stairs and slammed the door shut behind her, like he thought she would do. She sat there on the bottom step, looking lonely and helpless, and all he wanted to do was hold her while she cried. But he knew that was not an option, for many reasons. He lost that ability when he stopped answering her calls, and began to make a few of his own, to his now fiancee.

"What's her name, Ezra?" This time, when she spoke, she wasn't angry, she just sounded so… defeated. His heart ached seeing her like this.

Reluctantly, after several moments of contemplation, he realized the least he could do was be honest with her. "Jackie, Jackie Molina."

At the sound of her name, the tears poured out more quickly, and she just sat there, as Ezra watched his former lover break. She didn't want him to see her like this, so pathetic and broken, but at the same time, she missed his company. Even if he was a complete jerk. After minutes passed of standing and taking in the heartbreaking sight occurring before him, he made the bold decision to sit down beside her. He didn't touch her, didn't say anything, and didn't even look at her. The pair simply sat on the stairs, the what would have been silence, replaced by the sobs and sniffles of a truly hurting woman.

An hour passed, and even though they both had other commitments, Aria, biology class, and Ezra, a board meeting, they remained still. He was being reinstated as an AP English teacher, and today he was supposed to be interviewed by the school board again, to confirm the position. However, they remained seated and embraced the presence of the other's company. No lines were crossed, they couldn't be, not with both of them in relationships, and with Aria in the state she was in. Somehow, just by sitting with him, Aria felt better, which was definitely ridiculous. He was engaged, and he was happy. She couldn't just come between them. So, she did what a responsible adult would do, and broke the heavy silence.

"Ezra, go." Aria softly urged.

At this, he almost chuckled, like her request was a joke or something. "We both know that I'm not going anywhere until I know you're going to be okay. I don't know what's going on, but I can't leave you here like this, just waiting to be…" He purposely trailed his sentence off, because he knew if he continued, the tears would eventually come, and they would never stop. How could someone do this to her, he thought?

Aria was silent for what felt like forever after his honesty, but the silence was interrupted again. "I can't do this, Ezra. Please, just let me go. I just… I can't do this with you. Please." She begged, cheeks damp with tears, awaiting more.

"If you promise me you will meet me later tonight so we can talk about this, in a more… private place, then I will leave you right now. Aria, please say you will do that?" Ezra pleaded, not wanting to upset Aria, but at the same time, terrified of releasing her back into the world, where he, whoever he is, exists. The man who hurt her.

"I can't really have plans outside of school, Ezra. I… he… I stay at his house now. I don't really get time off." Aria spoke between tears.

Ezra couldn't help but cry this time. It wasn't a light cry either, this was a long-awaited cry, and seemed to burn from deep within his soul. "Oh, Aria…," he sobbed. Not caring anymore, he wrapped her in his arms. He didn't care what this looked like, he would do anything to make her feel safe again.

He reluctantly let go of her eventually, and once she had calmed down to a point of being able to breathe normally, she answered each and every one of his painful questions. He soon learned that Noel Kahn was the monster behind each of Aria's pains, and that once her parents had passed in a traumatizing car accident, she was given the option to stay at Noel's until high school was over. Naive Aria assumed that would be the better option, over slumming it five different foster homes per month, which is what her brother, Mike, was forced to do. They haven't spoken since. Too painful, Ezra guessed. Now that Aria was fully succumbed to the Kahn house, it appeared that Noel saw it as an opportunity to take advantage of Aria whenever he pleased. Which, telling from the severity and quantity of her bruises, was often. The part of her tragic story that pained him the most, was the reason why she didn't leave Noel. She stayed with him, because she knew leaving him would destroy Ezra's life when the police were called. Seeing it as his own fault that Aria looked the way she did, he quickly took control of the situation.

"Screw Noel Kahn, I don't care what happens to me, there is no way in hell I am letting him do this to you any longer." Ezra yelled, about to take off up the stairs in an angry rage, but Aria delicately grabbed his fingers, stopping him in his tracks.

She initially looked excited that he was willing to do whatever it was he was planning on doing for her, but reality rapidly sunk in. "No, Ezra. We aren't together anymore, and this is no longer your problem. So please just go, EZRA!" Soon she began yelling, and threw whatever clutter laid atop nearby tables in his direction. Being angry with him was impossible, but she figured it was the only way he would leave her alone.

After minutes of having various books launched in his direction, and being viciously yelled at, he stormed off. He hated to be angry with her, but he was offering help, a way out of the situation. What was wrong with her? He was more confused that frustrated overall, but in the moment, he was quite upset with her. In a flash, he was out of there, and drove to his home. The home he shared with Jackie, who would be getting home any minute now. Kindergarten ends quite early in the afternoon.

The end of the school day finally came. As horrible as the school day was, Aria knew it was better than what would await her after school. Noticing the time, she sprinted to Noel's BMW, arriving there at exactly 3:30. Any later, and she would have suffered the typical punishment for keeping him waiting, no food for the next day. Thankfully, he seemed to be in a better mood than the morning. "Damn. My girl is hot. Come here." Noel catcalled over to Aria, and pulled her into him.

Now it was clear why Noel didn't address her by one of her usual derogative nicknames. Tequila, she smelled on him. Out of all the drinks he had stored in his cupboard, tequila was Aria's favourite. It made him temporarily kind to her. Of course, in about an hour's time, it would be worse than ever, but the sweetness it gave him for the first while, made it seem almost worth it.

Pushing Aria up against the car door, Noel's lips pounded into hers, and as the kiss intensified, he trailed kisses down her neck. It was often like this; sometimes, Noel couldn't wait until they got home, and would begin his favourite extracurricular early. He continued to pleasure her with his tongue, until she no longer could go along with his sick games anymore. "Noel, stop. Please. Not now. I'm just not in the mood." Aria tried.

Noel flashed an evil smirk. "Cute. Now, go get your hot piece of ass in the car. I mean, you did with Mr. Fitz, didn't you?"

"Seriously, Noel, STOP. I'm not kidding, anymore. I said no." Aria attempted once again, still unsuccessful.

No longer smirking, his face turned into a frown; eyes piercing into her, almost challenging her to disobey his commands. "I said, get in the fucking car, Aria. Now. Or do I need to tell the police about the way Fitz does extra credit assignments?"

At that, Aria silently cursed herself for the situation she got herself into, but had no choice but to get inside and hope he wouldn't get too carried away. Her exposed frame lay still as Noel took control of her, and forced her to moan. As much as it disgusted her to do so, it would only go on until she did.

This time was different from most, and not just in the way that his routine was performed in a car. She didn't think he would find a way to tie her hands back, but, of course he did. Noel always gets what he wants. This time, when Noel wasn't completely satisfied enough, instead of smacking her a few times until she did better, or even trying again in a few hours, he took immediate action against her. He was done with her. He hit her over and over, and over and over, until blood coated every inch of her face, bones weren't where they should be, and she couldn't see anything. The last thing she remembered hearing was "useless bitch," before being thrown out of the car onto the pavement, pants half-buttoned up, chest completely bare.

Crack.