*I am so sorry I have taken so long to update I literally worked all weekend and was going to work on it Saturday but ended up working 10 hours. Anyway here is another chapter for you guys and thanks for all of the reviews.
Ezra always thought that they were over exaggerating in the movies whenever they had things go in slow motion when you found out bad news but in this moment he knew it was true. Ezra sunk down the wall he was leaning against and stared into space.
"Ezra?" Aria said from the doorway, when he didn't answer she ran over to his side. "Hey, what's wrong?" Aria asked placing a hand on his arm.
"My dad." Ezra said in a whisper barely loud enough to hear.
"Your dad what?" Aria asked trying to get him to look at her.
"He's dying." Ezra said lunging himself into Aria's chest where he began to sob. After a few minutes Ezra's sobs turned into slight whimpers and Aria figured she could get some answers. "Ezra, what happened?"
"A few minutes ago I got a call and the first thing I thought at this time of night was that something had happened to you because you weren't in bed. I answered and it was Wesley telling me that dad had a heart attack and that they did all that they could and that they don't give him very long to live." Ezra said wiping his tears away. "Aria, we have to get to New York. I know my dad and I had problems but I have to see him, he has to meet Lila."
"Okay, let's go. You go call the airline and I'll pack some things and get Lila ready." Aria said helping Ezra up from the ground. Aria made her way to the dresser and started to grab whatever she came across first. She didn't care if it matched or not she just wanted to get things packed so they could leave.
"I got a flight that leaves in 3 hours, it's a straight flight to JFK." Ezra said as he bent down to put some clothes in his bag in the corner of Aria's room. "I got a ticket for you and Lila as well." Ezra said standing up.
"How much were they?" Aria asked concerned about the price for three tickets straight to New York City.
"It doesn't matter Aria. I got it all taken care of so let's get Lila ready and get to the airport." Ezra said walking towards the door.
"Ezra wait." Aria said gently grabbing Ezra's arm. "I'm here for you. I just want you to know that." Aria said pulling him into a hug.
"I know Aria, I love you." Ezra said kissing Aria and then leaving the room.
Ezra made his way to Lila's nursery and picked her up. She stirred slightly but remained in her deep slumber. Ezra looked down at Lila and ran his fingers along her hair.
"I love you baby." Ezra said and let a few tears fall.
"Ezra can you get the suitcase out of the closet while I get all of Lila's clothes together?" Aria asked from the doorway.
"Yeah." Ezra said gently lowering Lila back into her crib.
"Hey baby." Aria said as she leaned down and kissed Lila. "We are going to go see Grandpa Fitz and see New York City and Uncle Wesley. We are going to have a lot of fun." Aria said before she went around and started to pack Lila's small duffle bag full of clothes and toys and whatever else Lila might need.
"I got the suitcase out and put all of the things you had out on your bed. I set all of our stuff by the door." Ezra came in and said a few minutes later.
"Okay let me go tell Myra what's going on and get Lila up and I'll be ready." Aria said as she finished putting away the last of Lila's stuff.
*PLL*
Aria and Ezra made their way to the airport shortly before their flight. The entire flight not more than five words were spoken. Lila was surprising very well the entire flight as if she knew that something was wrong. From the time she had woken up till they got on the plane she was only happy when she was snuggled up to Ezra. The contact and love helped him to forget about everything that was going on; his daughter always did that to him.
When their flight landed Ezra and Aria went to baggage claim and quickly found their luggage and made their way to the front entrance where Wesley was supposed to meet them. About 5 minutes after arriving there Ezra saw Wesley pull up.
"Hey Ezra, Aria." Wesley greeted the couple then looked to Lila who was clenching her tiny hands onto her father's shirt. "And is this my little niece?"
"Wesley this is Lila Ebony. Lila this is your Uncle Wesley." Ezra said to the baby who just kept her head on Ezra's chest.
"She has hardly left Ezra's embrace, it's like she knows something's wrong." Aria told Wesley.
"How's dad doing?" Ezra asked finally not being able to wait any longer to know the fate of his father.
"Not good at all. He's been able to talk a little bit but the doctor's don't give him until the end of the week. He keeps asking about you and his first grandbaby and your beautiful girlfriend." Wesley said packing all of their stuff into the trunk of his car. Aria came over and buckled in Lila's carrier in as well as Ezra just stood there.
"Let's go." Ezra said before getting into the passenger side. Aria quickly followed and got in on the side that Lila was not on and Wesley got in the driver's side.
"Has mom been around any?" Ezra asked, not at all in the mood to see his mother.
"No, I called her and she said she wanted nothing to do with dad because he hasn't care about her any over the last 10 years then she asked if you were coming in and when I said yes she said that you were dead to her." Wesley said holding his breath not sure how Ezra would react.
"Well I don't want anything to do with her either. It's all her fault that I missed out on Aria's pregnancy and the first two months of my baby's life." Ezra said bitterly. "Yeah I didn't go after Aria but mom led me to believe that, that was the right thing to do." Ezra said looking out the window.
"I'll take you guys to the hospital and then I can take your stuff over to the house later." Wesley said as he drove through New York.
"It's really pretty here." Aria said "And cold." She added. She had only brought a small jacket being that it was in the 60's and 70's back in California. She had not even thought about the weather being cold in New York City in the middle of January.
"I'm sure I can find you a heavier jacket." Wesley said as he pulled into the road that housed the hospital.
"And something for Lila. I'm afraid she's going to get too cold." Aria said running her hand over a sleeping Lila and pulling the blanket that was over top of her tighter down around her.
"I'll check and see what the hospital gift shop has. Since it's a bigger hospital they tend to have a lot more stuff in the gift shop." Wesley said as he pulled into the hospital parking lot and found an open parking space. "Ezra before we go in, I want you to know that dad doesn't look like dad. He's very weak and pale and he has tubs coming out everywhere." Wesley said looking over at Ezra.
"Thanks Wes." Ezra said before getting out of the car and grabbing Lila's carrier and walking around and putting his arm around Aria. He led them into the hospital and Wesley led them to the sixth floor where his father was in the ICU.
"Do you want me to wait out here?" Aria asked Ezra once they had reached his dad's room.
"No, I need you and Lila with me." He said as he picked up Lila from her carrier and held her close. Ezra walked into the room and saw his fragile father with tubes coming from multiple places on his body and oxygen hooked up as well. It instantly took him back to just a few weeks ago when Aria and Lila were in the hospital. He walked closer to the bed with Aria behind him both arms wrapped around his and Lila against his chest.
"Hey son." Ezra's father said in a voice slightly above a whisper. "If I would have known all it took you to come home and bring that pretty girl of yours and my first grandchild was a heart attack I would have done it a long time ago."
"I'm sorry dad." Ezra said walking over to the edge of the bed.
"So do I get to meet my first granddaughter or what?" Ezra's father asked.
"Of course." Ezra said turning Lila around who whimpered a bit when Ezra moved her from chewing on his shirt. "Dad, this is Lila Ebony Montgomery." Ezra told his father as he leaned the baby down to his father's view.
"She has those Fitzgerald eyes, or should I say Fitz eyes for sure." His father said. "And who is that gorgeous young lady standing behind you?"
"Dad this is the love of my life, Aria." Ezra said as Aria stepped around to shake his hand. "Aria this is my father, Matthew." Ezra said.
"It's nice to meet you sir, I can see where Ezra gets his good looks from." Aria said with a warm smile.
"I like her, Ezra." Matthew said with a chuckle.
"I'm sorry it's taken me so long to come around." Ezra said to his father as he pulled up the chair beside of the bed and sat down in it and pulled Aria down onto his lap. Lila soon fell asleep in Aria's arms shortly after that.
"Son, it's okay we all had a rough past. Wes is here and now you and I think we need to make these last days count." Matthew said.
"Dad, don't think like that you are going to get better and watch Lila grow up." Ezra said as a lump formed in his throat and he could feel Aria rubbing his arm with her free hand.
"Ezra I know I will never leave this hospital room and I am okay with that. I have both of my sons with me and my grandchild and my hopefully soon daughter-in-law." Matthew said to Aria who just blushed and looked down. "I don't need anything else. I want to tell you how sorry I am that we weren't closer after the divorce and I blame that all on me. I am your father and I shouldn't have waited on you to come to me to want to bond. I regret the time that we wasted in being mad at each other and although your mother and I don't talk anymore I will forever be grateful for the two amazing sons that she gave me." Matthew said from the place he was sitting in his bed.
"Dad, I love you so much and I am so sorry for being angry with you after you and mom split up." Ezra said as he let a tear fall. "You have done more in these last 10 minutes for Aria and I then mom has done in our entire relationship. You accepted us."
"Son, you have always had good judgement and if you think she is amazing and the one than I know she is. From what I've heard from Wes she gave up a lot for you and for your daughter and I respect that." Matthew said.
"I love him, I really do sir." Aria said speaking for the first time since Ezra had introduced them.
"Please call me Matthew or better yet dad, because I want to be able to have a daughter for a little while before I die." Matthew said with a chuckle.
"Yes dad." Aria said as she felt Ezra's arms wrap around her waist.
"So dad, what's new with you?" Ezra asked trying to start a lighter conversation.
A/N: I know it's not the longest chapter ever but I thought that if I started more storyline it would all run together and I felt like this was a good stopping point. Thank you to all who reviewed and guessed who it was I hope you weren't disappointed. I will try to have the next chapter up within the next week. I am going to California in 3 weeks and have a lot do between now and then so please bare with me my lovely readers. Love all of you.
xoxoxoxoxox