Chapter 15

Aria looked over at the man sleeping beside her. He was so peaceful when he slept that she just laid there in bed watching him sleep, his breathing slow and steady; it gave her a calming effect to listen to it. She smiled and placed her arm around him for a moment pulling him closer to her, so she could breathe in his scent for a few more moments. It had been nearly a month since they had officially started to date again and Aria did not think she could be any happier. Removing her hand from around him she snuck out of her bed and waltzed downstairs to her kitchen. Since Ezra place was still undergoing renovations and he had already relinquished his apartment he had been staying at Aria's for a week now, something she kept telling herself that she could get used to. Reaching above her stove she took out some organic flour and grabbed all the necessities to make pancakes just the way Ezra loved them.

It did not take long for the smell of pancakes cooking to rouse both Ezra and Lilia. They basically came down the stairs at the same time making Aria giggle a little as she handed them both plates of pancakes and began to make some coffee for her and Ezra. The three of them sat around and talked through breakfast laughing. Soon enough though Lilia was begging her mother to allow her to go to her grandmother's to help her bake cookies which Ella had promised to do with her a few days again. Aria relented and allowed her daughter to run across the street to her mother's house. As soon as she was out of sight Ezra looked at Aria and kissed her as passionately as he could. Moments later Aria pulled away breathless and not knowing why Ezra randomly kissed her like.

"Whoa, what was that for?" Aria asked as she cleared the kitchen table and Ezra just smirked watching her, content with how his life was going.

"Oh, you know just staring at the girl who has given me everything I have ever wanted" Aria smiled to herself, her back turned to him as she closed the dishwasher. Ezra smiled knowing that she was smiling even without seeing her do it. He took a spit of coffee and waited for her to respond to his comment.

"How about the girl who reminds you that you have a flight in an hour that will bring you to a very important meeting about your book?" she inquired turning around and smiling at him.

"Damnit" he said sputtering out his coffee all of over the newspaper at the table. "You always distract me" Ezra commented as he tried to clean up his mess.

"I do tend to have that effect on you" Aria said as she grabbed a paper towel from the counter and walked over to the table again. "Here let me clean up your bags are near the door, go now before you miss your flight."

"You are simply amazing. See you when I get back in three days."

Ezra kissed her one last time and left the kitchen to fly to New York. This time a meeting about a book he had been writing was a good thing, no lies, Aria knew about this book. He had made it clear to her that this book had no connection to the book that had destroyed their relationship all those years ago. Smiling to herself again Aria cleaned up Ezra's mess and set out to finish cleaning up the kitchen. A few minutes passed and she heard the front door open. Assuming it was Ezra who might have forgotten something she went on with what she was doing. A second later she heard footsteps coming into the kitchen.

"You know if you miss that flight-" Aria said as she turned and came face to face with her worst fear. "I told you to leave."

"I could not just leave without you and Lilia."

"Don't you dare say her name again" Aria said as she eyed the knives near her stove and inched towards them.

"She was like a daughter to me while we were together"

"Dustin, she was never your daughter and we were never together. Now leave before I call the cops. I left well enough alone back in San Francisco and did not press charges."

"Aria you know you have nothing to fear about me." Dustin simply stated as he moved closer to her. Aria leaned backwards trapped in her kitchen and unable to go anywhere. Her hand slid behind her as she desperately tried to grab at the knives behind her. "Oh come on I wouldn't do that." He said as he pulled out a gun and pointed it at her.

"What do you want?" She said swallowing hard as the tears swelled up, spilling out as he got within inches of her.

"Go upstairs now, your room"

She nodded and walked up the stairs to her bedroom as he followed her; praying hard her daughter would stay at her mother's for the day, if not the night. Opening the door she walked in, turning to him because she simply did not know what else to do. He instructed her to her bed and made her undress him and herself, something she was reluctant to do, but did nonetheless to keep him from shooting her or harming anyone else. After she had finished doing that he made her lay down on her bed as he got on top of her. Sobbing she kissed him as he instructed her to do so and fearing for her life she knew she had to follow his orders. He was about to violate her when they heard the front door open and footsteps began to walk up the stairs.

"Now this should be fun" Dustin stated as he got up and pulled Aria in front of him the gun planted on the side of her head just as the door opened.

"Oh my god" Ezra said as he took in the sight. He had missed his flight and had come home to tell Aria that he had rescheduled his meeting in New York for the following weekend. "What are you doing?"

"About to have fun with your girlfriend; Want to watch?" Dustin asked sarcastically and Aria could see the rage building up in Ezra as he stood there not knowing what to do or how to save Aria.

So I just had to post this chapter so I could announce that I am going to be starting another story soon. I am super excited about this next story so please stay tuned for that. It is a crossover of two of my favorite shows