She rushed to the Hastings' house, already seeing Spencer pace behind her running car.

"What the heck happened?" Aria asked wide eyed to her friend.

"It's all my fault Aria. The scaffold fell apart because I'm with him. 'A' did this to teach me a lesson. He got hurt because of me," she babbled. "If I hadn't started dating him he would have been in any danger. He fell over 8 feet Aria! This is because of me!"

"Okay, slow down," Aria commanded, gripping Spencer's forearms. "Tell me again what happened."

"Toby must have came over here to take down the scaffold before school. 'A' must have tampered with it, loosening a screw or something to make the thing tip over. Toby was on it at the time when it gave way. Aria, 'A' must have known that. She's trying to hurt Toby…"

"Spence, just continue the story," Aria commanded to the distraught girl.

"My mom came home on her lunch break to get something she forgot in the house. When she pulled up she saw him lying unconscious under the scaffold. She ran called 9-1-1 then stayed with him till she knew he was okay."

Aria was puzzled. "Why didn't she call you?"

"She didn't want me to worry," Spencer claimed with tears running down her cheeks. "And apparently I missed enough school," she snapped. "My mom told me when I got home from practice. Aria, this is all my fault."

"Okay," Aria breathed, "Spence, this isn't your fault. Right now Toby needs you, so lets go see him okay? I'm sure he's been wanting to see you too. 'A' did this – not you. We are going to get whoever it is okay? I promise."

"Yea," she sniffled. "Thanks."

Nodding, Aria took the keys from her best friend's hands and got into the car. Reversing out of the driveway, Aria drove the two to the hospital.

They made it with Spencer still distraught and looking for Toby. Reaching his room, Spencer immediately ran over and hugged him. Giving the two some time together, Aria waved to Toby and then waited outside the room. She dialed Emily and Hanna, telling them to get over here, and then texted Jason saying everything was okay. During the car ride, (to get Spencer's mind off of Toby) Aria had explained to Spencer what Jason had found. She told her about the box, along with what was inside, giving her friend hope of finding more evidence to who 'A' is.

"Is he okay?" Emily rushed towards Aria.

"What happened?" Hanna wondered.

"He's okay," Aria nodded, "just badly bruised I think. Spencer is in with him right now, I figured they could use some alone time."

"And Spencer thinks this is 'A's doing?" Emily asked.

Aria nodded sadly, thinking back over to the car ride with the girl. "She knows it is; 'A' texted her saying 'Almost got him. Toby wont be so lucky next time'".

"So now 'A' is going after our relationships?" Hanna claimed worried.

Emily seemed to be the only one with a clear and logic head. "That doesn't make any sense you guys. 'A' was just warning Aria to be careful with Jason. Why not go after him then?"

"Maybe 'A' changed his or her mind," Hanna said sitting down now. "What are we going to do?"

"I don't know," Aria sighed. She felt a twinge of sickness wash over her when they brought up Jason getting hurt because of 'A'. "You guys, I found some more of Ali's things." Explaining the whole situation, both Hanna and Emily listened carefully.

"So now we have an injured boyfriend and a box of our dead best friend's things," Hanna groaned.

"You guys, I still don't understand why Toby was hurt by 'A'. It just doesn't make any sense," Emily noted.

"I think Toby got too close to the situation," Spencer said coming out from his room. Tears were streaming down her face and she looked broken. "I didn't exactly tell him about 'A' but there were things I shared and he got involved with. If you think about it, it's perfect really. Toby was there with me when we found about N.A.T. and he was the one that found the stick. 'A' wanted him out of the way because he was so involved and what better way to do it than to hurt him?"

"Great," Hanna groaned.

"But why not just hurt you?" Aria questioned.

"Because it would defeat the purpose," Spencer said. "Hurting me would only raise more questions and feed his curiosity further. He would want to know who did this and what happened to me. The only way to get Toby to stop digging would be for me to break up with him. It cuts all ties from 'A' and breaks my heart killing two birds with one stone."

"You're not going to though right?" Aria almost begged for clarification, "You're not going to break up with him."

Spencer went silent along with the other girls. She was considering it for Toby's sake.

"But he is okay? Physically I mean." Emily was really concerned. She had been Toby's friend before any of the other girls' and it was fact that slipped the their minds.

"A few bruised ribs, a broken arm, and a concussion. They want to keep him over night for observation," Spencer stated.

"Sorry Spence," Hanna said gloomily.

"Just…I can't believe this happened," Spencer said deflated. Making room for her on the waiting room seats, she sat down and silently moped to herself.

"I think I need to break up with him you guys," she stated.

"You can't kick him while he's already down," Hanna protested.

"Is that really wise?" Aria asked feeling sick.

"This happened because of me," Spencer stated, "'A' wanted to get her point across and well…she did. I'm listening."

Emily didn't seem to like the situation. Crossing her arms, she stayed standing. "What are you going to tell him?"

"Anything I have to," Spencer said quietly. "He's better off without me right now."

"Maybe you need to step back and think about this," Aria suggested with a hand on her friend's shoulder.

"And wait for 'A' to make another move? I can't," she sniffled.

The girls all sighed. The situation seemed impossible. Aria's phone rang, making her dig through her purse again to get it. Checking the caller ID, she saw it was her mom. "I have to take this – it's my mom."

Nodding, the girls watched her as she stood up and walked away to take the call.

"Hey mom," Aria said in the speaker.

"Hey sweetie how was your day?"

"It was okay," Aria said sadly. The hospital speaker came on, announcing something, which made Aria cover her ear to hear her mother.

"Aria, are you in a hospital?" her mother panicked.

"What? No, I mean yes. But wait!" she protested before her mother could rush home. "Its not for me. Toby, Spencer's boyfriend, fell off a scaffold at the Hastings's house this morning and he was admitted into the hospital. We are all here just visiting him."

"Oh," she said with relief, "is he alright?"

"A little beat up but he's okay."

"Thank god," Ella sighed. "Is everything else okay? The house still in one piece?"

Aria chuckled, "Yea mom, everything is fine. How is Mike?"

"A lot better," Ella boasted. "He's up and talking today. I think the therapy is really working. We were actually thinking about coming home when we first planned; that way we get Mike set up to a therapist in Rosewood before he has to go back to school. There really is no reason for us stay here and not be home."

"Oh good," Aria forcefully smiled. Although she was happy her brother was doing better, she wasn't sure if she wanted her parents to come back the day after tomorrow. Talking for a while longer, Aria decided she had to get back and ended her conversation with her mother. Saying their goodbyes, Aria shut her phone and walked back to her friends.

"It's done," Spencer said coming back out of the room with tears rolling down her cheeks. All four of them could hear Toby yelling for her.

"I'll drive her home," Hanna suggested. Nodding, Aria handed over the keys and hugged the two goodbye.

"Will you guys sleepover tonight? I really don't want to be alone," Spencer said turning around to look at Aria and Emily.

"Sure," The two nodded. Hanna, who's arm was still wrapped around Spencer guided her carefully to the elevator, waving goodbye.

"I'm going to go see him," Emily spoke to Aria. "You don't have to wait up."

"I don't mind," Aria shrugged, "plus, I drove Spencer here with her car so I don't have a ride."

Emily stifled a laugh before getting serious again. "Alright, I'll be right out."

"Take your time," Aria called softly as Emily went to walk in the room. Toby's calls for Spencer made Aria want to curl up in a ball and cry. He sounded so heartbroken and lost – exactly how her friend was feeling. If only he knew the reason as to why. Lying back against the seat, Aria let her thoughts take her for a while.

"Ar," someone called.

"Jason?" Aria wondered in surprise. Sitting up, she saw him walking towards her with a concerned look.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"You weren't picking up my calls," Jason said which made Aria want to smack herself. While on the phone with her mother Jason had been kept trying to call. "Yea, sorry about that," Aria explained. "I was getting an update from my mom about Mike."

"He's okay?" Jason wondered.

"Doing better," Aria smiled. "But anyways, you came here because I wasn't picking up?"

"That, and because I was really worried. I saw Hanna walking Spencer back into her house. Why was Spencer in hysterics?"

Aria's eyes dropped. "It's a really long story."

"Did something happen?" Jason prodded.

"Yea," Aria admitted. Laying her head against Jason, Aria seeked comfort. Was Jason next then? Was she going to have to break up with him too?

Watching her, Jason felt this dark cloud come over him. "Ar, you're worrying me."

Opening her mouth to speak, both were startled when Emily came out from Toby's room. She too looked clearly distressed and had tears running down her cheeks.

"What happened?' Aria said jumping up.

"Nothing," Emily said waving her off. "Lets just go." Taking note of Jason, Emily gave a small smile to him. "I'll wait for you in the car," she murmured. Walking past the two, Emily hit the elevator button and kept to herself.

"Okay, something is definitely going on," Jason stated. "What happened?"

The questions that arose made Emily look back to Aria. Knowing what she was thinking, Aria glanced away from her boyfriend. She couldn't say anything to him…she wouldn't.

"Can we not do this tonight?" Aria asked hoping he could forget about it for a while. "I just…can't."

"Aria," Jason pushed.

"Please Jase," she begged, "I can't do this tonight."

"You'll tell me later?" he asked her, getting up to hug her. She gave the smallest of nods, still not looking at him.

"Promise?" he prodded. Wincing, she stayed silent, not moving an inch. If she promised this, she would have to stick to it and she couldn't.

Moving on to a different topic, hopefully throwing him off base, she began to ramble. "I'm going to spend the night at Spencer's tonight okay? She really needs us right now and doesn't want to be alone. I'll pick up a bag from my place; probably swing by there in the morning if I have time but if not then I can figure it out…"

"Aria," Jason said trying to get her to stop.

She began to think out loud some more. "You know what, I'll just get ready at Spencer's in the morning. We usually do that anyways. It shouldn't be too bad, we can wake up early if needed."

"Aria," Jason said patiently trying again. "Emily's probably waiting for me," she claimed.

"Hey," Jason called going to take her in his arms as she left him to grab her bag from the seat. Slipping from his grasp, she turned around and gave him a kiss to his cheek. "I'll see you later."

With that, she left him standing there, quickly walking away and taking the stairs instead of waiting for the elevator.

The girls had their usual night except for this sleepover most of the time consisted of comforting Spencer. She hated her decision, it was ripping the poor girl's hear apart. 'A' not only got what he/she wanted but had also successfully injured someone dear to them. They went to bed late that night, Aria ignoring many of the calls and texts from Jason as they went over what to do about 'A'. Things were just getting more terrible by the second.

Coffee was made early in the morning by Spencer, who looked like she hadn't slept a wink. Drinking her strong coffee, each of the girls got ready for their day, still worried about Spencer.

"Morning girls," Mrs. Hastings smiled as she came into the kitchen.

"Morning," they all chirped.

"Aria, it was good to see your mom and Mike. He looks a lot better," Mrs. Hastings noted.

"I'm sorry, what?" Aria asked.

"You didn't know?" The woman wondered, "Your family is back from New Jersey. I saw them run into the coffee shop before going home."

"Oh," Aria said shocked.

"Don't worry, I told your mother you were here; she figured as much," Mrs. Hastings said getting on with her day. "See you girls later." Kissing her daughter, the mother left the house for work.

"Well, then I should get home and say hi to them before school," Aria said picking up her things.

"I thought they weren't getting home until tomorrow," Emily said puzzled.

"They weren't," Aria announced. "I'll see you guys at school."

Waving to the three of them, Aria left Spencer's completely stressed. For once, it didn't help either that Jason was outside working on his landscaping. Seeing her walk down the street in her own world made him stop her.

"You okay?" he asked stepping in her path.

"Oh, hey," she smiled.

"You look…dazed," he noted.

"Tired," Aria declared, "and a little overcaffinated thanks to Spencer's coffee."

"Where are you off to?" Jason wondered. She was walking alone with her stuff in her hand leaving Spencer's. He knew for a fact she didn't have her car here, so was she going to get it? Why wouldn't the girls just drive her to school?

"My place," Aria said tilting her head to look at him. "My parents and Mike came back today I guess."

"Oh," Jason exclaimed surprised. "I thought they were going to be gone the whole week?"

"My mom talked about coming back early last night, so I thought they would probably be home tomorrow but I guess Mrs. Hastings saw them today stopping for coffee before heading home."

They went silent each lost in their own thoughts. Jason was slightly bummed to have her family home just because he liked the time he got to spend with Aria, watching her sleep at night and cuddling with her. And for Aria, she was bummed her parents came home because it seemed like a busy time. She had Jason on her plate, along with the worries about him because of 'A', and also Spencer. Aria knew her mom would be asking questions about Toby along with why Spencer was now upset and she had to spend time there.

"Did you want me to walk you?" Jason asked suddenly. If this was going to be his last time for questions and to see Aria for the day, he wanted it to last as long as possible.

"Sure," she said quietly, still partly somewhere else.

Throwing down his work gloves and grabbing a shirt, he walked back up to her and drew her body in his arms. She seemed surprised by the gesture at first, but quickly settled into him.

"I missed you," she sighed, wrapping her arms around his torso.

"I missed you too," he mumbled, kissing her head lightly. "How was Spencer's?"

"Long – full of girly nonsense I'm sure you don't want to hear about." Aria tried to put on a teasing face but she couldn't seem to lay it on good enough.

"Spencer still upset?"

"Yea," Aria sighed, following him as they walked together. Jason still didn't know why his half sister was quite upset but he assumed that Spencer had broken up with Toby. A reason was still needed though.

"Are you okay?" Jason pressed again. His girlfriend seemed to be in the dumps and her answer when he asked her before didn't comfort him in the slightest.

"Can we tell my parents about us?" Aria asked him suddenly. "I just-…I want them to know I'm dating you."

"Sure," he said surprised by the sudden request. "Did you want to tell them today?"

"Would it be okay with you?" she wondered. There was no hidden agenda under this request. Instead, it was just pure desire. Aria wanted her parents to know she was involved with Jason because she liked him. He was her world – or a big part of it at least.

"You don't want to spend time with your family first?" he asked her. Getting close to the Montgomery household, Jason stopped the two of them and laid a long kiss on Aria's lips. "Why don't you go in there and spend some time with all of them before school and after, when you get out, we can tell them."

"Yea?" she asked, bubbling with happiness. She peered to be the Aria he knew again and he loved that with a simple kiss he could bring that back.

"I'll be there if you are," he told her. Chuckling, Aria nodded and kissed him once again. "Okay."

So he watched her walk into her house, lusting after her. How could one girl affect him so powerfully? She was like the center of his universe. She was the oxygen to his blood and without her…well, there wasn't going to be a 'without her'. Aria was better than any high could give him and he promised to never lose her.

"Aria," Ella said surprised. The three family members were sitting at the table talking.

"Mike!" Aria brightened, dropping her things as he came and gave her a hug.

"I'm sorry for all the trouble I caused," he spoke as he let go of her.

"You are so forgiven. Its good to see you talking," she smiled to her little brother.

"So what brings you home?" her father asked Aria.

"Just came to see you guys," she shrugged. "Mrs. Hastings brought up that you guys were back. I thought you were going to leave tomorrow?"

"We were," Ella spoke up, "but then after hearing your voice we really missed you and Mike wanted to come home too."

"Good," she smiled to her family. "I have to go get changed but Mike, a ride to school?"

"Sure," he said with a small smile. Grabbing her things again, Aria went upstairs and got ready for the day.

A/N: Thanks for the reviews!