Sorry it took so long to update. It's the end of the semester and things are kind of hectic. Honestly, the only reason I updated now is because of the people asking for it. It's a good thing to keep in mind. The more reviews I get, the more pressured I feel to update. I hope this chapter was worth waiting for. Warning: slight fluff at the end.

August 18, 2015 Aria and Ezra were locked in an embrace on his sofa when he suddenly pulled away from her and held her close. "I don't want you to go," he whispered in her ear.

She leaned into him and wrapped her arms around his waist. "I don't want to go back either," she admitted.

Ezra glanced at the closed curtains in the window before turning his attention back to his girlfriend. "I can't believe you have to go back to New York tomorrow."

"Two more years," she stated firmly, nodding her head as she did so.

"What do you want to do after that?" he asked.

Aria looked up at him in surprise. "What do you mean? I thought we were going to get married?"

"Is that what you really want to do right after college?" he asked gently.

"What do you want?" she returned.

"Whatever you want," Ezra responded. He began to trace circles around her arm with his thumb. He leaned in to continue their make-out session, but she drew back and moved away from him.

"That's not a real answer."

Ezra sighed and rubbed his eyes before eyeing the twelve inches Aria had put between them. "I want to write another book. I want to make sure I do this right. Us, I mean. I want to have your father's blessing. I'd like to teach again, and I really do dream of having children playing in the tree house. But it means nothing without you," he finished.

Aria thought carefully for a moment before replying, "You're thirty years old. I expect you to want those things. But I'm almost twenty-one. I'm not sure what I want besides you."

He regarded her carefully before answering. "Some people spend their entire lives figuring out what they want."

Closing the distance between them, she took his hand in hers. "I was hoping we could figure that out together," Aria said.

"Does that include marriage after graduation?" asked Ezra.

"That means we'll figure it out when the times comes," she said, leaning against his chest once more. He kissed the top of her head. "Tell me about your book."

And he did. He told her about his mom and the letters she left him and all the letters he wished he could have given her. It was a beginning.

August 19, Aria woke to soft sunlight streaming through the bedroom window. Instantly, she remembered what today was—the day she went back to Columbia. Quietly groaning she turned to her side and looked at the man beside her. She would miss him dearly. She kissed him on the forehead before crawling out of the bed and pulling on an oversized t-shirt she found in one of his drawers.

"Good morning," she whispered into his ear. He blinked his eyes open slowly and began to sit up. "Morning," Ezra mumbled. "I'll be more charming once I'm awake." He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes before continuing, "I think."

Aria giggled and gave him a full kiss on the lips. It was long a long kiss that expressed her dismay at leaving him. "Let's go somewhere," she said, snuggling against him.

"Anywhere," he agreed, putting his arms around her.

"Could we run away to Paris?" she asked.

"No problem," he responded. "I'll pack my bags right now." They laughed together before Aria sobered at the reality of their situation.

"You'll come and visit me in New York often, right?"

"I'll be there for your birthday," he promised.

"Good," she said. Glancing at the clock, she reluctantly got out of bed and began to look for her real clothes. "I have to go before my parents figured out I spent the night here."

"Surely they must realize," he stammered.

"Better not to rub in their faces just yet," explained Aria.

Ezra sighed. "I suppose you're right." Aria tossed him some clothes and he got dressed. They walked to the front door together. Ezra leaned in and gave Aria one last passionate kiss before she went back to her own house. Not her house for much longer, he thought quietly to himself as he closed the door.

Aria crept in the front door of her house, holding her shoes in her hands, careful to be as quiet as possible. She shut the door with a silent click before stealthily walking towards the stairs. Suddenly a voice startled her, "Did you have a nice night?"

Aria turned and found her mother sitting at the table drinking a cup of coffee and reading the newspaper. "You scared me half to death."

"You didn't come home last night," stated Ella without preamble.

"No, I didn't," Aria admitted honestly.

Ella looked her daughter once over before turning back her newspaper, "You better change your clothes before your father finds out where you've been."

Without answering, Aria dashed up the stairs. Soon, she thought as she opened the door to her room, he won't be able to complain about who I spent the night with.

September 10, 2015, Ezra and Byron sat together in Byron's study. "Well?" asked Ezra.

Byron, who had gotten up from his seat to walk towards the window, looked back at where the younger man was sitting. "It's a hard thing for a man to agree to."

"I understand that," responded Ezra. "But I hope my age or profession has nothing to do with this." There was an unspoken question in his words, and Byron heard it.

"Once, a long time ago, it would have mattered. But now," Byron shook his head and headed back towards his seat, "it's just a matter of coming to terms with her age. I still remember the day we brought her home from the hospital."

"It would mean a lot if you agreed to this," said Ezra.

"I don't disagree with it," answered Byron.

"Is that a yes?"

Byron was silent for a moment, drawing out the younger man's suspense. Throwing his hands up in the air, he exclaimed, "Somehow, I get the feeling Elliot had this all planned out from the first. It's a yes."

Five days later, on September 15, 2015, Aria's twenty-first birthday, Aria and Ezra had celebrated by going out to dinner. He insisted on taking her to a nice restaurant, and although initially uncomfortable with the idea, Aria agreed. She had enjoyed her evening, relishing the opportunity to dress up and drink champagne. Afterwards, they had walked down to Times Square, enjoying the lights and the energy of the people around them.

Later, like they always did, they ended up at his apartment. She kissed him on his cheek and sat on the armchair to take off her strappy and very-high heels. Suddenly, as she was bending over, she heard music playing. Snapping her head up, she looked at Ezra who had put on an old Sinatra song. "Dance with me," he beckoned. Obligingly, she got up to meet him and then danced close together, alone in the apartment, barefoot and happy.

"Thank you for a wonderful birthday," she whispered in his ear.

"Who says it's over yet?" he answered.

"What do you mean?" she asked. "It's almost midnight."

"You still haven't gotten your birthday present."

She rolled her eyes. "Please tell me it's not a ridiculously expensive piece of jewelry…" her voice trailed off into nothingness because suddenly, Ezra wasn't holding anymore and she wasn't swaying in his arms. He was down on one knee and holding a bright red velvet box in his hands.

Opening the box, Ezra asked in a solemn voice, "Will you marry me, Aria Montgomery?"

Gasping at the sight of a rather large emerald surrounded by diamonds and other jewels on a gold band, Aria exclaimed, "Of course." Laughing and crying at the same time, they kissed each other passionately, the Sinatra music forgotten in the background. What happened later, neither of them could exactly say. They were too blissful and too wrapped up in the moment to remember.

"So he asked you." It was September 16, 2015, and Spencer Hastings was leaning against Aria Montgomery's dorm room doorframe.

Aria turned around to meet her friend's gaze. "You knew?" Her clothes forgotten in the closet, Aria sat on the edge of her bed. "It's hard to believe I'm engaged," she said in awe. Spencer came in to sit beside her.

"I know," agreed Spencer. "He was so nervous about it too."

"You knew?" repeated Aria. She looked at her friend closely. "How?"

"Some of us can keep a secret, Ar," responded Spencer. "And how do you think I knew? He asked us for permission."

"Define us," said Aria suspiciously.

"He got your Dad's permission and your Mom's blessing. Then, he got Mike's say-so. Then he asked me, Emily, and Hanna, of course."

Aria shook her head. "I can't believe it."

"Believe it," said Spencer. "You're going to be an old married woman before you know it."

Grabbing her pillow, Aria smacked Spencer across the face. "Hey," exclaimed Spencer. "What was that for?"

October 15, 2013

It's still hard to believe I'm engaged. I look at the ring on my finger everyday and feels so new…and conspicuous. Ian was asking me about my fiancé the other day. Can you imagine what he's going to do when he finds out it's one of his favorite authors? I can't.

Mom, Dad, and Mike took the news well. I think Dad took it too well. I'm curious to see what's going to happen over Thanksgiving when I see their real reactions. Mom is going to love this ring. Of course, I really don't care about the ring when Ezra's the one I'm getting.

The sneak! The birthday jewelry he was giving me the last three years. It was done deliberately. The necklace, bracelet, and earrings. They all match this ring. Ezra calls it my wedding jewelry. He says that it belonged to his grandmother. His Fitzgerald grandmother. I really don't have much to say about the woman, considering I never met her. I think I'm okay with the jewelry. I just keep telling him to stop giving me things, but he doesn't listen. I already know how much he loves me. I can feel it every time we kiss.