"Your father slipped into a coma." The nurse started. "The doctor is in his room now and would like to talk to you and your brother."
"Yeah, we will be right there, let me just go wake him up." Ezra said and slowly moved Aria's legs off of his lap and made his way to Wesley who was sleeping in the corner.
"Wes." Ezra said as he shook Wesley. "Wesley get up."
"What is it? What's wrong?" Wesley said when he realized it was still the middle of the night.
"Dad slipped into a coma and the doctor wants to talk to us." Ezra said and started to walk towards his father's room, Wesley close behind him.
"Are you Ezra and Wesley?" The doctor asked when Ezra and Wesley entered the room.
"Yes sir." Ezra spoke up.
"A few minutes ago your father slipped into a coma and I wanted to talk to you about what to do next." The doctor said.
"What do you mean?" Wesley asked.
"Your father is not doing well at all and is only being kept alive by life support. I would suggest you don't let him suffer for much longer. I'll let you guys talk about what you want to do and I'll be back in a little bit." The doctor said before giving them a sympathetic look and leaving the room.
"They talked about taking Aria off life-support and look at her now." Ezra said as he began to pace the room.
"I hear what you are saying man but we can't let dad suffer, the only reason he is even alive is because of some machine." Wesley said as he put a hand on Ezra's arm.
"I know, I just I'm not ready to let him go yet." Ezra said holding back tears.
"I know I'm not ready either but dad's at peace with everything and we need to do what's best." Wesley said.
"Since when did you become so insightful?" Ezra chuckled lightly.
"Since going to college. Go get your fiancé and daughter so we can all say good-bye to dad." Wesley told Ezra.
"Ezra what's wrong?" Aria groggily asked. Ezra had gently shaken her awake and was sitting on the edge of the loveseat.
"Dad slipped into a coma and he's going to be taken off of life-support soon." Ezra said as a tear finally slid down his cheek.
"Come here." Aria said as she opened her arms and Ezra laid his head on her chest and began to cry. Aria rubbed her hands up and down Ezra's back and rocked him slightly. A few minutes' later cries were heard from next to them.
"I'll get her." Ezra said as he sat up and wiped the tears from his face. "Hey baby girl what's wrong?" Ezra sniffled to Lila.
"I think that she's upset because her daddy's upset." Aria said sitting up and pulling Ezra down beside of her. Ezra rocked Lila back and forth and she quickly stopped crying. "I just fed her and changed her diaper a few hours ago so it shouldn't be that."
"I probably woke her up, which works out anyway because after Wes is done we need to go in and see dad." Ezra said leaning his head on Aria's shoulder. "I'm just not ready Ar."
"I know you aren't and if I could take this all away from you I would. But remember the good days we had with your dad and how he got to meet his first grandchild and how you made amends." Aria said and looked up to see Wesley walk down the hall sniffling and fighting back tears.
"You guys can go in now." Wesley said just above a whisper.
"Are you okay?" Aria asked as she went up and hugged Wesley.
"I'll be fine, go be with your fiancé." Wesley said as he pulled away from Aria. Aria made her way over to Ezra and took Lila into her arms and Ezra wrapped his arm around her shoulder. They walked down the hall and made it to Matthew's room.
"Do you want to be alone first?" Aria asked.
"No, I don't think I can do this if you aren't here." Ezra said in an unsteady voice.
"I will be right here." Aria said as she walked in with Ezra. Ezra stopped halfway through the room and dropped his arm from Aria's shoulder and took her right hand in his. Lila stirred slightly in Aria's left arm but not enough to cause Aria in difficulty in holding her. Ezra then made it the rest of the way over to his dad's bed and stopped right in front of it.
"Hey dad." Ezra began in a low voice. "I'm not really sure what to say. I guess the biggest thing there is to say is thank you. Thanks for accepting me and Aria and for loving your granddaughter no matter what. These past few days have been amazing and I want to thank you for letting us into your life and for being a great father to Wes and I and now Aria for all these years and for being an amazing grandfather." Ezra said not being able to say anything else over the lump in his throat.
"Matthew, I mean dad." Aria began moving closer. "Thanks so much for accepting us and for being such a great person. I only regret not having more time to spend with you and not being able to get to know you better. Lila will always be told how great you were and how much you loved you. I will always love you as well even only after a few days." Aria said letting a few tears role down her cheeks.
Aria and Ezra stayed for a few more minutes before leaving the room. Ezra and Wesley went in search of the doctor to let him know that there had said their good-byes. Aria waited in the waiting room with Lila. She saw Ezra come down the hallway and went straight for Aria and wrapped her in his arms. He pulled her close and they both began to cry. Ezra looked over at Wesley and motioned for him to join them too and they all cried.
*PLL*
"He's gone Aria." Ezra said a few hours later. They were both sitting in the waiting room. Byron and Ella were on their way to come and take of Lila for a bit and also for the funeral. Lila was asleep in her carrier beside the couple.
"I'm sorry Ezra." Aria said and intertwined her fingers with his. "I know what you are going through."
"No you don't Aria. Your dad's still here. Who have you ever lost?" Ezra snapped back before even thinking about what he had said. He instantly felt like a jerk for saying that when she was still on depression pills for losing a child.
"Our son." Aria said not looking at Ezra.
"I'm sorry Aria I didn't mean it." Ezra said as Aria pulled her hand from Ezra's.
"No, Ezra I just I need time. Please watch your daughter until my parents get here." Aria said as she stood up and grabbed her coat and walked down the hallway. Lila stirred in her carrier and began to cry. Ezra picked up the tiny baby and began to rock her. After a few minutes she settled down and started to play with Ezra's fingers.
"Ezra." Ezra heard and looked up to see Byron and Ella standing in front of him. "How are you doing?" Ella asked as she came over and sat down beside of him.
"I don't know." Ezra said looking down at Lila.
"Where's Aria?" Ella asked him next looking around and not seeing her daughter.
"Probably somewhere being very angry with me." Ezra said and continued when Ella looked at him with confusion. "I said something really stupid without thinking and she got really angry and walked away."
"I'm sure she is close. Here give me my beautiful granddaughter whom I haven't seen in a week and go find my daughter." Ella said taking Lila into her hands.
Ezra nodded and stood up and then made his way down the hall. He had no idea where Aria could be, but he knew she would be somewhere where she could think. Ezra made his way down to the main entrance and then walked out into the cold January New York air. The thought hit him that Aria as to where Aria could be. He walked the few blocks to Central Park and started looking at every bench until he came across Aria. She was sitting on the bench closest to the place where he had proposed. She had her jacket pulled closer to her face and had her head down. Ezra made his way over to her and took a seat right next to her. "Is this seat taken?"
"No." Was all that Aria said in reply as if Ezra was just a stranger.
"Aria I am so sorry for what I said. I wasn't even thinking and the words just came out and I regret it so much." Ezra said looking at Aria who continued to stare into the darkness.
"Ezra, what you said hurt so much. I know you didn't mean it but I felt like someone had stabbed me right in the heart and what makes it so much worse was that it was you. I know I killed our kid and I am sorry I took your son away from you and I am sorry that you lost you dad. It's just all so much for me." Aria told him still looking into the darkness.
"Aria stop with this blame game please. Losing our son was not your fault at all. You did nothing wrong and it happened. Please, forgive me for what I said, it was the worst possible thing I could have said and I regret it so much. The last thing I ever want to do is hurt you." Ezra said as he grabbed Aria's hand expecting her to pull it away but was surprised when she didn't.
"It's just that you have never said anything like that to me before. You have never said one hurtful thing and then when you do it hurt more than anything you could have ever had said. I know you didn't mean it and that I am probably overreacting it's just that you have always been the strong one and the one all held together and now you aren't and I don't know how to help." Aria said squeezing Ezra's hand tightly in hers.
"Be there for me. Please don't ever leave me. I need you now and Lila and I can get through this with the two of you. I'm sorry for what I said will you please, please forgive me?" Ezra pleaded with Aria as he turned her face to see him.
"I forgive you, really I do. Can we just be here for a few minutes. Just you and me, not talking just sitting here and looking at the beautiful New York skyline?" Aria asked as she put her head on Ezra's shoulder and felt him wrap his arm around her shoulder.
"I'm so sorry baby." Ezra said once more kissing Aria on the top of the head.
*PLL*
Aria and Ezra made their way back to the hospital a few minutes later to see Mike, Wesley, Ella, Byron, and Lila all in the waiting room.
"Mike when did you get here?" Aria said as she ran up to her brother and wrapped her arms around him.
"I came as soon as mom and dad called me and told me where they were. I also brought my new girlfriend, but she's at her grandparents' house in Queens."
"Well I can't wait to meet her." Aria said pulling away from Mike and making her way back to Ezra's embrace.
"I take it the two of you worked things out?" Ella asked the couple.
"Yeah, things were said Ezra was upset we are going to put it behind us and move on. We need each other right now." Aria said just as Lila began to cry in Byron's arms.
"I think she needs mommy." Byron said and got up and handed Lila to Aria.
"I'm going to go feed her; I'll be back in a few minutes." Aria said making her way towards the bathroom.
"So Ezra did you father have a will or anything?" Byron asked knowing that Ezra and Wesley most likely had no idea what they were doing.
"I don't know, he never said. I mean I know where his house is and all but he didn't tell me anything." Ezra told Byron.
"Ella and I can check it out with you later. I know the two of you probably don't know what you are doing." Byron told Ezra and Wesley.
"Thank you sir." Wesley said.
"Please call me Byron and it's the least I could do."
"I think I'm going to head over to dads and look around." Wesley told Ezra.
"Okay, I'll be there later."
"Thank you guys so much for coming. Usually it would be the wife that would take of this stuff but we all know my mother." Ezra said in a frustrated voice. "You know she didn't even come and see him even though she knew he didn't have much longer to live."
"Ezra that is her own fault. She missed out on telling him good-bye and that is something that she will have to live with for the rest of her life." Ella said and walked over and wrapped her arms around Ezra.
"Trying to steal my fiancé?" Aria laughed from behind Ella and Ezra.
"Sorry honey I'm already taken." Ella said and released Ezra from her grip letting Aria step into her place.
"I think it's time to go to my dads." Ezra said into Aria's hair.
"Are you sure?" Aria asked looking up at Ezra.
"I think so. As long as you and my baby girl are there I'll be okay." Ezra said and Lila kicked her feet at hearing her nickname.
A/N: Thanks for all of the reviews. I am sorry for all of these sad chapters but only a few more till some happiness. I know that some of their feelings may seem jumbled but I feel like that's how you feel when you lose someone, at least it was for me. I also didn't write about when his father died because I don't know how I could write it. Whenever my aunt died no one from my family was there we had all said our good-byes and were at peace so I kind of wrote it like that in this story. I can't wait to hear from you and I am really working on getting a few more chapters written before I go out of town in a few weeks.
xoxoxox