I am overjoyed by all the reviews. I mean, gosh, I can't express how happy I am when I read them and as promised here is the next chapter.

Part 2

Disclaimer: I have nothing to do with Pretty Little Liars

"Oh my god!" Ezra whispered as he looked over at Malcolm and then at his friend who had shock clearly written all over his face. He couldn't believe that Aria would tell him something like that without even breathing. She just basically blurted out that he was the father

But of course she was hurting but this was major news and he wasn't ready for it. Ezra looked Jay in the eyes as he stared back at his long-time friend "I know what it looks like but you have to understand that I didn't know about you and Aria and when I did. I didn't want to ruin the relationship you have with her"

"You and my girlfriend?" Jay hissed out looking between the couple, "How could the both of you not tell me?"

"Okay look," Aria laughed harshly, "You may be right, yes I was hiding it from you. But from the moment I found out that Ezra aka Kai was in fact your best friend there wasn't a moment in time that I wanted to tell you. Ezra was the one that said to keep quiet"

"That's only because I knew what you were heading into this week." Ezra defended himself, "I wanted you to leave with a clear mind. That is why I kept telling you for the last two weeks to tell Aria that you were leaving. It's not my fault that you wanted to wait till the last minute to tell her."

"Don't defend yourself Ezra," Aria hissed at him, "You had that same amount of time to tell me too. And the fact that you brought your son into the mix and told him not to tell me;" She laughed "Is unforgiveable"

Ezra placed his hands in his pockets "Maybe I shouldn't have said something. But wouldn't it have been better to hear it from the actually person?"

Aria nodded, "I trusted all of you." She cried, "I trusted you to have my back" she told Jay, "I opened my heart again and it was for you" Aria pushed him in the chest "How could you not tell me that you are leaving?"

"Aria I wanted to," Jay looked at her face "I wanted to tell you the second I found out.-"

Aria shook her head, "I don't want to hear your sob story." She turned to walk away but Jay grabbed her by the arm and pulled her away from the now forming crowd that came to listen "Let me go!"

"No," He stated firmly, "When were you going to tell me that you and my best friend dated?"

"Why do you think I haven't been back at your place!" she hissed, "I wanted to tell you. Your friend over there kept telling me not too" She tried to pull her arm away but Jay squeezed it tighter "Let me go!"

"No," He shook his head and pulled her more away from the crowd as he saw Ezra following them, "I gave you my life, I gave Lacy my life and I feel betrayed" He pushed her up against the wall and put his hands gently against her shoulder so she wouldn't move "I want to marry you Aria,"

"What?" Aria asked in shock, "Are you just saying that because of what you found out or because you really wanted too?"

"I have the ring." Jay looked down and shook his head, "I had everything plan out and you never came back. "He looked back up at her with his own tears, "I don't care that you had a relationship with someone I know because for the past three years it was you and me. Not once have you mention your ex until you came here. I don't care that I have been raising my best friend's daughter when you couldn't because she is a part of you. I want to marry you Aria"

Aria looked over Jay's shoulder and saw Ezra with Malcolm, "Don't look at him Aria," Jay pleaded, "I want you to look at me and tell me the truth."

"What?"

"Do you still have feelings for Ezra? Am I wasting my time with this or is there a chance for us?" Jay pulled back and took hold of her hands, "I'm sorry I don't have the ring on me but- I do have one. Will you marry me?"

Ezra looked away bracing himself for what's to come. In his mind of course Aria would say yes, why wouldn't she? She has it all with Jay. The no hiding the no sneaking around bid; she could have everything she has ever wanted and it was right in front of her face.

Ezra turned to look at Malcolm who had nothing but hurt written on his face. Because the whole Maggie spat; when Aria would come over he and she would have the loads of fun. And now he has to witness something that he was fighting against. All, the you and my father are good for each other kind of thing. He has been practically throwing Ezra at Aria and now he has to watch another man propose to the one person that could change his father around.

Aria sucked in a deep breath unable to hold back anymore tears as new freshly made ones came pouring out of her like a waterfall. She didn't know what to say. She knew that if this moment in time came sooner she would have said yes. But over the last couple of weeks with Ezra and her getting back on good terms and actually enjoying one another companies her heart had opened up even more. But it wasn't for Jay, every feeling that she had manage to bundle up for the last nine years came flooding back for him. For Ezra.

"Aria, we need you at the booth" Carol said interrupting; not knowing what just went down, "Someone is here to see you!"

Aria wiped her face and stood up from the wall, "Who is it?" She asked her voice cracking in the process

Carol looked at the three men and a few people around them as they watched them from a far "Um, its The Boss"

Aria's head whipped around like a roller-coaster "What are you talking about? He's not supposed to be here till next month" she exclaimed

Carol shrugged, "Change of plans I guess."

Aria nodded and looked at Jay as he waited for her to answer "I have to go."

Jay nodded, "Always the job right Aria?"

Aria opened her mouth for a brief second before answering, "I'm sorry I kept things from you. It was the whole reason why I didn't want to come back here in the first place. Too many untold secrets that I have managed to keep buried. I wanted to keep my past in the past and I wanted you in my future." She sucked in a deep breath before speaking again "But things have been complicated. Things have changed since I moved back and I don't want to hide it anymore. Yes I have had a relationship with Ezra but that went down the drain when I found out he had a son." Aria looked to Malcolm, "I wanted him to be able to support his son and I wanted him to move on from me. But down the line things happened and I got pregnant. I don't regret it because than I wouldn't have Lacy." She looked back at Jay" But I do regret the way things happened between you and me. I never thought that I would love again; but you showed me a new path to love. You opened up this world for me and let me live it. You showed me that there are a few decent people in the world and you showed me that I shouldn't be afraid of it. I should live my life to the fullest and I should overcome my fears." She shook her head, "But I can't marry you. As much as I wanted too before I moved here I just can't"

Jay closed his eyes, "It's because of Ezra right?" Aria shook her head, "Then what?"

"It's because of me. I-I am just not ready to be tied down right now" she lied, "I love you so much and I want you to be able to respect my wishes."

Jay licked his lips and turned to Ezra, "I guess she's all yours" Ezra looked at him confused, "That is what you've been waiting for right? To see me fail and then you can swoop in and be the shoulder Aria cries on?" Jay told him bitterly, "I hope the two of you make a wonderful family."

"Jay" Aria tried to comfort him "It wasn't because of him"

"Don't lie." Jay moved away from her, "I have been with you long enough to know when you are lying and when you're telling me the truth. And this whole act was just a show." Aria closed her eyes "I'm sorry things had to end this way. And I'm sorry you fell in love with the wrong man." He looked back at Ezra, "You better get your shit together because I don't think Aria will take it for much longer. "

"Aria," Carol called again when Jay finally broke his gaze from Ezra and walked away. "I'm sorry but you really need to get in there"

Aria nodded, "I'm coming"

LINE BREAK

Carol slammed the door to the office shut and started to pace back and forth as Aria stood in front of her desk unsure how to comprehend what went down. She wanted to scream and she wanted run… Aria never thought that when the time came for her to tell Jay about her and Ezra that she would just blurt it out. She thought she would be able to sit him down and talk to him like an adult; not a scared little girl who was afraid for him to leave. Having Jay leave on such short noticed scared her, it scared her because Jay was the only person there for her when she really needed him the most. He was always there for Lacy and he was always the first person to step up when there was a complication.

"What the hell went on at the school? Aria everyone is talking about it?" Carol exclaimed finally finding her voice," I thought you were just going to tell or ask Jay about him leaving and you blurted out Lacy's biological father was none other than his best friend whom by the way was standing a mere two feet from him?" Aria nodded, "What was going through your mind?"

Aria shrugged "Please don't pressure me right now" She shook her head, "I really don't know what to say"

"Well I do." Carol laughed harshly, "For the past few weeks I have heard nothing but you talking about your relationship. I have been working my ass off for you and this hotel so you could figure things out when everything you ever wanted was right at your reach. You are in love with Ezra; you are not in love with Jay. Now you may be in love with him but not in the way that you would consider true love." Carol laughed again, "I may be younger than you; but how stupid can you be to not see that Ezra was watching everything you have been doing since you got back? How stupid can you be to not see that in the end you will be with your one true love and how can you not see that everyone is on your side? Jay may have kept a secret from you! But you have been keeping one from him too; so how can you be so hypocritically into thinking that he was wrong?"

"Alright Carol that's enough" Keith said walking into the office, "Let me talk to Aria and you can go home for the night."

Carol turned around and shook her head, "I'm still on the clock and I'm not done working on my prep"

Keith held up his hand, "I said thank you!"

Carol nodded, "Yes sir" she picked up her bag and glared at Aria once more before walking out the door and slamming it harshly

Keith sat down in one of the chairs as Aria lowered herself into a ball on the next one, "I screwed up"

"Yes you did" He agreed, "But what's life without any screw up's here and there?" He smiled as he turned to Aria, "I'm sorry that I have placed you in a compromising position. If I had known that this man is the reason you didn't want to come here I would have placed you in New York. I have feelings too Aria and if you had just opened up about-"

"It wasn't that" Aria looked up with a tearful face, "I'm scared. I love Rosewood, but everything here just hurts so much. He hurt me to a point where I had to block him off"

Keith licked his lips, "You know I see you as my grand-daughter or daughter if that makes it closer. I knew you had troubles when my grandson asked me to give you a job and to watch you closely. I have witness so many different talents in you and that is why I placed you as a Head manager. I know what you are capable of and I know that you will succeed in anything you put your mind too. You may be small but you take bull-shit to a whole new level" Aria laughed, "There's that smile"

Aria smiled once more before wiping her face, "I love him."

"Which one?" Keith asked picking up the newspaper on the side table, "Which one did you go to hell and back with and still think about at the end of the day?"

Aria raised an eyebrow "Ezra" she breathe out "But it is not that simple"

"Life never is dear" Keith took her hands, "Do you know why I came here early?" Aria shook her head, "It's because my office has been getting so many emails and phone calls that I just couldn't take it any more" Aria looked at him confused, "It was about you. They want me to fire you for being too uptight and controlling. Well I am here to set everyone straight. I am here to tell them that if they don't like how my work or your work ethics goes they can leave." He stopped and looked at her hands "For the last eight years I have watched you grow into this company and I would be damned if people think that they can do a better job than you."

Aria smiled, "You know I majored in English Literature right?" she joked a little causing Keith to laugh "It was because of Ezra"

"Do you still want to teach?'"

Aria sighed, "Maybe a little."

Keith nodded his head and stood up from his seat, "So why don't you teach? You can teach a night class here if that's what you want? Maybe a little starter coarse?"

She looked at him shocked and not knowing what to say, "Hm" was all that came out of her mouth as she continued to look at him with wide eyes and concern. "That's interesting"

Keith tilted his head to the side and looked at the ad's they were advertising "Maybe teach C-base"

"I can never do that" Aria whispered, "I love it here."

He nodded his head "I know you do. But at least think about it"

"I will" Aria walked over to her desk and grabbed the box of tissues and started to wipe up her tears that had fallen within the last hour.

"So what are you going to do now?" Keith asked looking at his watch and standing up "What are you going to do?"

"What do you mean? I have to work and I have to finish up those interviews-"

"No" He cut her off, "About the two men in your life. What are you going to do?"

Aria looked at him confused, "I have no one in my life at the moment. I'm pretty sure Jay is really pissed off and I don't want to talk to Ezra. The other one" she licked her lips, "There's just so much to do and I can't seem to grasp on everything with so much going on right now"

"Well that is really sad Aria," he laughed "In my days we believed in true love" He opened the door to the office "But this newer and younger generation has their methods and I guess you will soon see who you belong with"

Aria thought about what he just said for a brief moment before following him down the hall and towards the lobby, "Excuse me?" Keith stopped in his tracks and turned around to face her "For one you know nothing about what went on with me and Ezra. You know about Jay and that's basically it. How do you know if or what Ezra and I share was true love at all? You don't know the background and all the –"

Keith held his hand up for her to stop, "I know everything" He grin from ear to ear, "You see Aria" He stepped closer to her "I may be old and I may be off my rockers as you younger people like to say. But I know everything that goes on in my Hotels and I know everything around this town. I like to keep my ears and eyes wide open." He looked at the girl behind the desk, "Just like how I know that she has a set of twins and works two jobs to support her family because her parents kicked her out." He looked around the room and found a waiter just walking into the lobby, "Just like I know that he doesn't have a family and is trying to support his college fund waiting tables and picking up extra shifts whenever he can."

"That's not what I asked you." Aria told him bluntly "I asked you how you know my story? You may see what goes on around here but you don't see my past. You didn't see all the late night heart break when you wake up in the middle of the night wishing that the person who pushed you away was right there beside you!" She stepped closer to him, "You haven't seen the devastation in his eyes when I turned him down on what was supposed to be the happiest day of my life." She pointed her finger in the air, "And you weren't there when you saw nothing but disappointment and heart break in his beautiful sea blue eyes to the point where you thought every bone in her body broke because you told him you were leaving." She started to cry again, "You weren't there!"

Keith closed his eyes for a few seconds and then opened them as Aria's eyes bore into his. He never knew how much she was harvesting. He never knew that she was just putting up one heck of a front and he never knew that what she was feeling for Jay was nothing but a cover up. Aria is in fact deeply in love with the man standing behind her. The man that rode in the limo with him. "Turn around" he whispered

"Why?" Aria whispered back

"Because there is no turning back now Aria" Ezra spoke

So... Just to let you know I didn't plan to have another cliffhanger, it's just that it was getting a little too long so I just prolonged it till the next. But I swear I will update again soon! (maybe this weekend)

So what do you think about old man Keith? I think that he's seeing his daughter in Aria, that's why she gets away with murder! Just saying, please Review and I'm just finishing up chapter 18. So let's push this story along shall we?

Love You ALL