It became a family night, with a ton of ice cream, some board games and a late night movie. Aria, Mike and Ella had stayed up doing all sorts of fun things. For once, it felt normal, even without her dad to do something like this. It was easier to relax too, since Spencer had texted Aria back saying Jason did make it home. They ended up all falling asleep on the couch, practically on top of each other as the movie still played the rest of the way through. It was probably a picture perfect moment too, missed by the three sleeping people.

When the Montgomerys finally did wake up though, to a bright and shiny day, it was Ella who was up first, making pancakes for all of them. She had a bright and shiny smile on her face like it had been the best night ever. And to Aria, it was. She could have asked for anything better…(well maybe a happier ending with Jason, but she promised herself to fix that today at school).

"Smells awesome," Mike said with enthusiasm as he went to look over his mom's shoulder.

"Set the table," Ella instructed as she flipped some blueberry ones.

Both Aria and Mike did as they were told, each taking turns to go upstairs and freshen up while helping their mom.

"So what happened between you and Jason?" Ella wondered nonchalantly to her daughter as Mike disappeared.

Unsure of what to say, Aria bit her lip.

"There was a rumor going around school and it ended up coming true. Jason was mad I didn't tell him about it."

"Did he have a right to be mad?" Ella asked curiously.

Aria shrugged, "I don't know. I guess he did but its not like I meant to hide it from him. Rumors are just rumors; I didn't think one of them would come true."

"Well, yea, I see where you are coming from," Ella said setting down some food.

"But when an ex is coming back into the picture its kind of hard to not tell him."

Wide eyed, Aria quickly spun to look at her mom. "How did you–…where did you draw that conclusion?" she gaped.

"Its not that hard to figure out sweetie," Ella said stirring some more batter, this time adding some chocolate chips. "So who is he? Do I know him?"

Aria was clearly embarrassed. "Mom!" She could tell that her mom didn't know it was Ezra Fitz as her ex, considering she wasn't flipping out like she would definitely be if she knew, but Aria didn't want to go any further with the topic either way.

"Just wondering," Ella pushed, "you know you've never really brought around your boyfriends before. Jason is the first one I think you have actually admitted to your father and I about."

Hearing the word 'father' was something a little touchy for Aria, and it seemed like for Ella too.

"I'm glad you introduced Jason as your boyfriend to me," Ella concluded.

"Do you think he's still mad at me?" Aria wondered, hoping that Jason would hear out an apology from her.

"The way he looks at you…I don't think for the life of him he could be mad at you for too long."

Chuckling at that, Aria left the kitchen table and went to go hug her mom. "Thanks."

Ella smiled brightly and wrapped an arm around her daughter. "I'm glad to see you happy Aria." The mother kissed her daughter's head and continued to flip a bunch of pancakes.

At school, Aria kept her eyes open for Jason but never seemed to find him. He wasn't in his usual spots, his office looked like he hadn't stopped in there in a while, and he didn't linger around the hallways looking for her. By lunch, Aria had concluded that he was either not here for the day or just avoiding her. Either way, she didn't like it, especially since they were on bad terms, which was her fault.

Listening to her friends banter on at lunch about homecoming tonight was the last thing she wanted to hear. She probably wasn't even going to go with her date being MIA. So instead of sitting there trying to make her way through the horrid conversation, she got up and told her friends she was going to the library.

Sitting in a section where nobody really came was peaceful to Aria. She could hear herself think and not worry about this stupid dance tonight. There were no signs around the rows of books about Homecoming and there weren't any rowdy kids talking about it.

With her butt planted on the school carpeted floor, Aria whipped out her phone and decided to give Jason a call. She knew it was going to voicemail, but he was pretty good about checking his phone and stuff like that. Hearing a beep, that little hope Aria kept inside her that Jason would miraculously pick up the phone died, and she left him a message.

"Hey Jase, its me. I'm sorry about last night. I didn't mean to end things the way it did. If we can talk that would be really great. And…" taking a breath, she tried not to feel hurt when saying this, "if you want to back out of going to the dance with me, I can accept that. Just call me back when you have a chance and I'll see…err…hear from you I guess." Biting her lip, Aria paused. "I love you," She added softer at the end. Hanging up, she tucked her phone under her chin and sat there to think. It was wrong not to say 'I love you' at the end. They had said it to each other so many times, why did they have to stop now as they encountered their first couple's fight.

The bell rang, signaling lunch was over and time to get to next class. Hauling herself up, Aria grabbed her bag, and went to check her phone one last time.

I'll be there – 9pm Jason's text said.

Smiling with happiness, Aria shut her phone and scurried off to class to finish the day.

She waited a whole 45 minutes after 9 to get picked up from Jason. It was embarrassing for Aria since Mike was already at the school helping to DJ. She texted him to see if Jason was there – which he wasn't – and her mother was waiting with her to see Jason show up. Aria checked her phone over and over, along with calling him once or twice. Each time, there was nothing except his answering machine and no response of a text. Mortified and angry, Aria finally declared to herself that she was stood up. Trying not to cry, Aria sent her friends a text to just go and meet their dates at the dance, she wasn't going to be there.

After that, she turned on her heel and faced her mother. Ella had that clear look on her face that she knew her daughter had been stood up and it was sorrow in her eyes. Feeling that overwhelming sense to cry, Aria shook her head to her and ran up the stairs in her new black high heels. She ran into her room, slamming the door shut before jumping face first on her mattress. The poor girl cried her heart out, feeling so much pain and betrayal. He led her to believe that they were okay – that he would be here for her. But he wasn't. And that hurt.

Her phone was buzzing off the hook, probably with Hanna, Spencer, and Emily wondering why she wasn't going to show up and what was going on. The thing was though; Aria didn't want to tell them. She was embarrassed enough as it was, and to voice it out loud was even more humiliating. Finally, after a steady constant buzzing of text messages and calls, Aria opened her phone.

Her latest one was from unknown. Feeling that icy feeling in her veins, Aria opened the message and saw numbers. They must have been something important, especially since it said 'her life depends on it– A'

Now quickly starting a four way with her friends, she found Hanna and Spencer picking up.

"What's going on?" Aria asked quickly.

"Did you get the 'A' text?" Hanna asked her.

"Where's Emily?" Spencer wondered before she could answer.

"She didn't pick up when I called," Aria spoke, wiping her tears.

"Me either," Spencer said suspiciously.

"Not for me," Hanna sighed.

"…do you think 'A' means Emily?" Aria asked in a small voice.

"Shit. Okay you guys, what do you think the numbers are?" Spencer said getting down to business.

"Address?" Hanna suggested. "Phone number?"

"Too easy," Aria claimed.

"And too short or long," Spencer said.

"Do you think it has something to do with the alphabet? Like translating from phone buttons or something?" Aria guessed.

"Mm…no," Spencer sighed. Minutes passed with silence on the line. "You guys, coordinates!" she exclaimed.

"Lets all meet up and drive together?" Hanna suggested. "I'm way too scared to do this alone."

"What about Emily?" Aria cut in.

"Must be at the dance already," Spencer guessed.

"No, after Aria said o go ahead, Emily said she was leaving. Paige was meeting her at the dance."

"'A'" they all whispered together.

"Okay, Aria I'm coming to pick you up. Hanna call the guys and tell them we wont be there and we are massively sorry."

"I don't have Jason's number," Hanna dumbly said.

"Don't worry Han," Aria said sadly, "I got it."

"Alright," Hanna answered hanging up.

There was a knock on her door just as she closed her phone. Telling whomever it was to come in; Aria wiped her tears from her face and went to fix her mascara.

"I think you should still go to the dance Aria," Ella said walking into her daughter's room.

"I am," Aria said, going with the excuse to get out of the house. "Spencer is coming to pick me up."

"Oh…good," Ella said surprised and relieved, finding her job easier than she thought it would be. Getting Aria to do something that she didn't want to do was always hard. She was as stubborn as a mule. "How did she talk you into that one?"

Aria smoothly lied; knowing everything she was saying was true. (It was the reason Aria didn't want to pick up her phone after all). "It's Spencer mom. She's a Hastings's, she doesn't really take the answer 'no'. Its in their blood or something."

Ella smiled and chuckled a bit. "Very true." Watching her daughter fix herself, the two heard the doorbell ring.

"See you later mom," Aria said kissing Ella's cheek on the way out.

"You guys, this is freaky," Hanna noted, as Spencer drove them to some location that seemed deserted.

"Where is Emily?" Aria said worried.

"Look, a barn!" Hanna pointed. Driving up to it, Spencer quickly put the car in park and the three swiftly got out.

"Emily!" Aria called into the darkness.

"Shh!" Spencer said to her.

Walking all around, while still trying to stay together, the three finally pushed open the heavy barn door and found Emily laying on the ground. As the three went to reach her, they began to cough.

"Carbon monoxide," Spencer gasped. Trying to cover their mouths and noses, the girls dragged their friend out of the barn and kneeled down to find a pulse.

"She's breathing," Spencer claimed.

"Emily? Emily!" Aria said, shaking her a bit.

Pushing her friends away, Hanna bent down and lightly smacked the girl across her face.

"Hanna!" the two protested. But it worked. Emily began to stir, and cough horridly.

"Thank God," Aria exclaimed, able to rest easier.

"What happened?" Emily groaned.

"That's what we would like to know," Spencer grunted.

"Why did you go here alone?" Hanna asked her friend.

"I got a doll," Emily coughed. "She was in my backseat. 'A' must have put her in there some how. My GPS was messed up too. They gave me directions here and I thought I heard something in the barn. When I went in, the door closed and the car started running."

"What car?" Spencer wondered.

"The car in the barn," Emily replied burying her head in her hands from her headache.

"Em…there was no car," Aria said with a glance to her other friends. Wide-eyed and helpless, Emily lifted her head from her hands, "'A' must have moved it when I was unconscious."

Getting paler by the second, Emily pushed away her friends and started to puke.

"Come on, we need get her to a hospital," Spencer instructed to her friends with a concerned voice. Nodding, the three helped Emily get back on her feet and walked her to the car.

They didn't think the police would get involved when they brought Emily in. As they paced around the waiting room for Emily and tried to figure out 'A's puzzle pieces, the cops showed up asking questions. Emily had acute carbon monoxide poisoning. And since Mrs. Fields said that Emily had left for the dance without any problems, it had to be with the girls.

Apparently the police had also scanned the Fields' house to make sure there was no carbon monoxide in the area, but Aria and Spencer were slightly skeptical on that since Mrs. Fields wasn't here at the hospital with her daughter.

As they were questioned, it was clear that the police assumed that they did something to Emily. It was bad though because it led onto more suspicions like the accusation of Ian and the whole dead and missing friend Allison thing. Were they thinking they had something to do with their friend's death again?

Each of the girls also had a hard time answering the police questions. The simple ones like "where were you?" or "how was Ms. Fields poisoned?" was something they couldn't tell truthfully. What were they to say to the cops? Oh, my own personal blackmailer who goes by the name of 'A' gave me coordinates to find my friend who almost died today? It was out in the middle of nowhere, except for some barn/shed thing. Their answers weren't going to cut it.

"We don't know how she was poisoned," Spencer answered for them.

"And where were you three?" the cop questioned.

"On the way to the dance," Hanna spoke up.

"And people can verify that?" he asked.

"Our family," Aria said, "and our boyfriends," Hanna spoke up. Going silent, Aria shrank back. Right now, that was a touchy subject.

"We'd like to ask you a few more questions at the station ladies," the cop said closing his notebook.

"What about Emily?" Aria asked.

"Ms. Fields is going to be released later tonight. There are a few more tests the doctors are going to run and her mother is on her way right now."

"Please, come with us," the second cop spoke up.

"We aren't going anywhere. We have a right to have a guardian with us – or a lawyer for that matter and I'm calling my mom to represent us. Veronica Hastings? I think you know her," Spencer challenged.

The two cops gave a face of recognition and easily stepped down. "You know what, you ladies have been through a lot and her mother would probably appreciate to see some familiar faces as she waits for her daughter. All we ask is to stay in touch with us and don't leave Rosewood for a while."

"Of course," the three replied.

"Thank you for your time," the cops responded and walked off.

"Wow, your mom's name really does have power," Hanna said surprised.

"I don't doubt that," Spencer grumbled as she moved to sit back down.

Mrs. Fields showed up a while later, concerned for her daughter when Emily called her to tell her.

"What happened girls?" Emily's mom asked concerned.

"We don't know," Aria said honestly. "The doctors say she has carbon monoxide poisoning."

"But how?" Mrs. Fields asked heartbroken.

Spencer stepped up, trying to come up with a viable lie that would make sense. "W-w-e don't know. Emily was pulled off to the side of the road puking and we just…"

"She didn't look good so we decided to take her to the hospital," Hanna finished for her.

"Thank god you girls were headed the same was she was," Mrs. Fields said still upset. Feeling guilty, the three glanced at each other and watched as the mom got to go see Emily.

They waited a few hours to try and see their friend but Mrs. Fields told them to just go home. The doctors wanted to keep Emily over night just in case and so they wouldn't be able to see her anyways. Disappointed, the girls agreed with the mom and told her to tell Emily they loved her. As they gathered their things to leave, Aria froze.

"You guys…" she said in a frightened voice. Feeling around her dress pockets, she couldn't seem to find what she was looking for.

"What?" Spencer wondered.

"My phone is gone."

"Like…your cell phone?" Hanna asked beginning to freak out.

"No like her home phone," Spencer snapped at her. Setting their things back down, the two friends felt around Aria's dress. "Did you leave it in my car?"

"No," Aria replied shaking her head, "I put it in my pocket when we…crap."

"When we what?" Spencer asked her.

"When we went to look for Emily."

"Its at the creepy barn place," Hanna concluded. Groaning, the three were unsure what to do. The text message tones rang through the girls' ears.

The game is about to get a lot more fun now- A

"Shit," Spencer claimed.

"What?" Aria wondered as she watched Hanna and Spencer's face.

"She's got your phone," Hanna grimaced, showing her the text, which was from Aria's phone.

A/N: Enjoyed the 2nd chapter update? Hopefully so! By the way, I finished the rest of this story! Its about 40 chapters long so we are a little over halfway now. I'll keep trying to post up chapters as much as I can everyday so you all can keep reading (and feed you obsession like me haha). I'm still totally wishing for this couple to happen (which probably won't - *tears) so i'll have to stick with my story - but - I might try and get ahead of the game and work on a sequel or different plot line for Jason/Aria? Sounds good to all? Can't wait to hear what you guys think of all this! ~Review!