This is the chapter you've all been waiting for!

*Reminder: It's been 3 years since Jackie and Ezra have seen each other. The current month is April.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything, except Maria

"It's so pretty. The sunset." I said, as I dug my toes into the warm sand. I turned to Ezra, who was smiling down at me. We had decided to go out for a while after dinner that night and we had ended up downtown. We walked around the busy streets and looked around in random shops. As soon as I spotted the beach a few blocks away from the shopping center, I had begged Ezra to go there. Of course, he could not say no to me.

"Just like you." He winked. I pulled on his arm, dragging him down to my height. I placed both of my hands on either sides of his face and kissed him. He kissed me back just as forcefully, as he picked me up and slowly started twirling me around.

As I tangled my fingers in his hair, he slowly set me back down on the ground. He pulled away and studied my face for a moment.

"Aria-" He begun to say, but stopped himself.

I looked at him, questioningly, afraid of what might come.

"Should I kneel for this? It might be awkward." I faintly heard him mutter under his breath. "What the heck." He shrugged.

My heart skipped a beat as I watched Ezra get down on one knee in front of me and pull a small velvet box out of his pocket. He opened it up, to reveal a diamond ring, set on a silver band. There was one diamond, with two smaller diamonds sitting beside it on the band. It was simple, yet elegant. Not too gaudy or big, yet something a sixteen year old would wear.

"Aria, will you take this ring, as a symbol of my love for you? I would have gotten you an engagement ring, but you're only sixteen and I don't want to rush you into anything. But I hope one day, an engagement ring can replace this one. Because I love you, and I want everyone in this world to know that you're mine." He said.

I gave a small nod, due to the fact that I was speechless. I wiped away the tears that I did not even realize had been forming in my eyes, before Ezra slowly slid the ring onto my finger.

He was about to speak again, but I silenced him with a kiss.

"It's perfect." I whispered against his lips. "Just like you."

…PLL…

The next three months passed in bliss. When Ezra and I were not getting ready for the baby, doing homework, or in Ezra's case, grading papers, Ezra was spending father daughter time with Maria, trying to make up for the past three years he had missed of her life.

At the moment, Ezra and I were in the kitchen, cleaning up from lunch. Jackie had ordered a pizza for all of us when she brought Maria over to see Ezra. It had smelt so good, that we had devoured it in minutes. As I was loading the dishwasher, Ezra was wiping down the table.

"Aria, could you do me a favor?" Jackie asked me, as she started combing the hair of one of Maria's Barbie's.

"Put dis dress on her mommy!" Maria handed Jackie a blue and white sundress to put on the Barbie in Jackie's hands.

"It's going to be your nap time soon, so why don't we start cleaning up your toys?" Jackie told Maria, after changing the Barbie into the sundress.

"She could sleep here, Jackie." Ezra told her. "In the guest room or something."

"Are you sure? I mean… I don't want her to be a burden…" Jackie trailed off, clearly unsure about the situation.

"It'll be fine." Ezra assured her.

"Okay, well, I just need to get Maria her bunny. There's no way she'll sleep without it… Aria, would you be a doll and get her bunny for me from the car?" Jackie asked sweetly. "It should be in her car seat."

Instead of responding, I rolled my eyes and grabbed Jackie's keys from the counter. I unlocked the car and opened the back door, in search for the bunny. Looking around on the backseats, it was nowhere to be found. As I stuck my hand under the front seat to see if it had fallen and landed under the seat, my finger slid across something sharp. I pulled my hand away from under the seat to discover that I had gotten a paper cut.

"Stupid Jackie…" I could not stop myself from muttering under my breath.

I stuck my hand under the seat again and reached for the book. I pulled it out; to make sure the sharp pages would not cut me when I stuck my hand back in there again. Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted something white: Maria's bunny. I climbed into the front seat and retrieved the stuffed animal from the floor of the passenger seat. How it got there, I really had no idea. I climbed into the back seat again, holding the bunny in my hand. As I went to put the book back under the seat, I realized that it was not a book at all. It was a journal. Clearly, it had been purposely stashed there, so that no one would find it. My curiosity got the best of me, as I opened up the notebook to a random page and started reading. (The Montgomery family needs to learn to stay out of other people's stuff! First Byron, now Aria...)

March 2, 2007.

It's been three weeks since I found out that I'm pregnant with Drew's baby. I'm scared to tell him because months ago, when we were talking about our future together, he told me that he didn't want any kids. I don't know what to do here. Eventually, it's going to get harder and harder to hide the fact that I'm pregnant from him. And if I wait too long to tell him, he might think that I cheated on him! He hasn't even asked me to marry him yet. It seems that all he wants is sex. Every night, we make love, but it doesn't feel special to me anymore. He's going to notice that I'm gaining weight and he's going to start asking questions. Lots and lots of questions. I wish I were still with Ezra. He, of all people, would understand my mixed emotions right now.

I flipped through the pages and started reading a later entry.

March 18, 2007.

Drew left. He actually abandoned our baby and me. When I told him that I was pregnant, he slapped me and called me a slut. He thought I was pregnant with someone else's baby and that that's why I waited so long to tell him! How could he think of me like that? He knows that I loved him, doesn't he? No, scratch that. Not loved, love. I still love him, no matter how much I don't want to admit it right now.

I slumped back into the seat as my mind was racing. There was a chance that Maria wasn't Ezra's daughter, from what Jackie's entries explained. Maria is three years old, and she was conceived in 2007. What am I saying? Of course Maria isn't Ezra's! She looks so much like Jackie; apart from the dark curls that no one would think twice about Maria not being Ezra's! Oh my God. Maria's not Ezra's daughter. Why the hell am I still sitting here?

I had to read more of this. I knew that Jackie was going to go ballistic when she realizes that her journal is gone, but I'll save the worry about that for later. I hid the journal under the front of my coat and zipped my coat up. I grabbed the bunny, before locking the car and hurrying back into the house.

"Did you have a hard time finding it? That took you quite some time." Jackie commented, as I handed her the bunny.

"Uh, yeah, but it's fine." I semi-lied. I did have a hard time finding it, right?

I didn't even stop to look at Ezra, as I rushed into the bathroom. I quickly locked the door and turned on the shower, hoping Ezra and Jackie would think I was in the shower and would not disturb me.

I let the journal fall from underneath my coat and I caught it in my hands before it could hit the tile floor. I hastily unbuttoned my coat and threw it on the bathroom floor, before eagerly flipping open the journal again and beginning to read.

May 26, 2007

People are starting to find out that I'm pregnant and I'm feeling lonelier than ever. My parents' initial reaction was uncertainty, since Drew and I weren't married, but once I revealed to them that he broke up with me because I'm pregnant, sympathy overrode all the uncertainty that ever was to exist in their minds. They offered to let me stay with them during the pregnancy and right after the baby was born. I'm not a teenager! I'm a fully-grown woman and I can take care of a baby and myself! It's as if they don't trust me to take care of a baby!

I read over some more entries dated in between the end of May until March, after Maria was born.

March 28, 2008

I'm still having the dreams. They're all the same: Drew coming to our house in the middle of the night, breaking down the front door, and hurting Maria. Hurting me for keeping her. I am doing anything I can to protect her, but I'm not sure how well I would be able to protect her from Drew, if God forbid, my dreams ever do come true. I love her so much… this feeling I get when I look at her… it's like overwhelming happiness… or… the feeling of motherhood… I guess, is what one would call it…

I love watching Maria sleep. She's like an angel when she sleeps. It's so peaceful. I can't imagine how any human being would ever want to hurt her. But then I remember Drew. And now… I can't get his frightening face out of my head.

I jumped as I heard a knock on the bathroom door, just as I finished reading that entry.

"Aria? Are you okay? You didn't drown, did you? You've been taking a shower for over two hours now." I could clearly detect the worry in Ezra's tone from the other side of the door.

"Uh, yeah! I'm fine! I'll be out soon!" I quickly said, before turning back to the journal.

July 2, 2008

I have to do it. I need a guy in my life, who will love Maria and I, and who will protect us and be there for us. She needs a father figure in her life. Only one person comes to mind as to who would be the perfect father. He once discussed with me our future, and that he wanted two kids, a boy and a girl. He wanted the girl first, and he wanted her to be three years older than the boy. I could give that to him. If I can get him back, he'll have the daughter he's been dreaming about.

I flipped through the pages and started reading another entry.

September 14, 2008

Can I really do that to Ezra? Would he believe me? Does Maria even look enough like him for this trap to work? I've tried meeting other guys, but as soon as they find out that I have a daughter, they want nothing to do with me. I don't blame them… who would want to have a slutty girlfriend with a daughter? Why does this have to happen to me?

I quickly flipped through some more entries, scanning the pages, and stopping once Ezra's name caught my eye.

October 1, 2009

I've made up my mind. I'm going to move back to Rosewood and find Ezra again. I feel so desperate. I spent the last three days stalking Ezra's Facebook profile for any information I can get on how his life is right now. He's still in Rosewood and he's still at Hollis, studying to get a degree in English Literature.

After I broke off our engagement, we stopped seeing each other. Literally. I never saw him around campus and we never bumped into each other on the streets of Rosewood, despite the fact that Rosewood was such a small town. Would he take me back? Jackie, stop it. Of course he would! He's madly in love with you. You're the one who broke off the engagement, not him. He'll take you back in a heartbeat!

Why did I break it off with Ezra? It was just such a foolish thing to do! I don't know what was going through my mind! (I don't either, Jackie. Who would ever break up with Ezra Fitz? No one in their right mind! Get it? Clearly, Jackie's not in her right mind? Okay… back to the story haha)

I silently thanked God for making Jackie break up with Ezra. If she had not, I never would have met him. I flipped through some more pages, finally settling on a much later date. I hadn't realized I had been crying, until a teardrop hit the page I had been reading. I quickly wiped my eyes with my hand and resumed reading.

January 3, 2011

I saw Ezra the other day walking around Hollis campus with a brunette girl. She must be his new girlfriend, because he kissed her. Seeing him kiss that girl brought back so many memories of him and I. We had been so happy together. So content and in love. At the time, it seemed like nothing could ever stop us from being together. Except me… I still don't understand why I did such a foolish thing! I was scared. I was barely twenty-one years old, and he asked me to marry him! I mean, seriously? I barely knew who I wanted to be in life, or what I wanted to do with my life, and here Ezra was, wanting to strap me down and make me a wife! I wanted to do things, travel the world and explore! If I was a wife… I wouldn't be able to do any of that. I would have to be with Ezra all the time. I just wasn't ready for such a big commitment, at such a young age.

I thought he would take me back now, after I tell him about Maria, his 'long lost fake daughter that I'm actually only lying about because she needs a father in her life and Ezra's my only option' but now I'm debating whether or not I really should. Can I really do something like that to him? What if he finds out the truth? What if he takes us back, and one day finds out that I lied to him? He'll never forgive me for using him like that. I probably won't ever forgive myself, either.

Well bitch, he is going to find out the truth, and I am going to be the one to tell him. On second thought, maybe I should make her tell him! I turned back to the journal and took a deep breath as I read the letters scrawled across the crisp, off-white, pages.

February 26, 2011

Ezra believed me! He actually believed me! He thinks that Maria is his daughter! The only problem is his girlfriend, Aria! I don't know what to do with her! She's such a bitch for stealing my Ezra from me! I mean, I had him first, right? Doesn't that make him mine? I need to find a way to get rid of her, so that Ezra and I can be together, with Maria, and live happily ever after. Like in all of the fairy tales. But my so called, 'fairy tale' had a dead awful prince… What am I thinking? Calling Drew a prince! At this point, I can barely call him a man! A real man wouldn't abandon his girlfriend and unborn daughter, just because he got her pregnant! Ezra's the one. I know it. We're meant to be together. If we weren't, he wouldn't have ever let me back into his life.

I turned the page, expecting more writing, but the page was blank. I slowly set the book down as I leaned against the bathtub, absorbing all the information I had just learned. Jackie lied. She completely lied. About everything. I stared at the journal in disbelief. She actually had that much courage to make up such a big lie to Ezra, all so that Maria could have a father figure in her life. How pathetic! There are a zillion guys out there, and she has to go for one that's already taken?

So now what? I know Jackie's secret. Maria's not Ezra's daughter. We can't just go on in life, as if nothing's changed. Because everything has! Maria's not Ezra's daughter. Once Ezra finds out, he will want nothing to do with Jackie and Maria! Even though, he should not have had anything to do with them in the first place! Oh my God, Ezra's going to freak out when he finds out!

Another knocking on the door interrupted my thoughts.

"Aria! Are you sure you're okay?" Ezra's asked, extremely worried.

"Yeah, I'll be out in a second!" I called. I took the journal and stuffed it under my coat once again. I shut off the showerhead and walked out of the bathroom and into our bedroom. Before walking in, I made sure that the coast was clear and that Ezra was not in the room so that I could find somewhere to hide this journal for the time being. After scurrying around the bedroom for somewhere Ezra would not accidently stumble upon it, I settled for my bedside drawer. As I closed the drawer, I heard Ezra's voice, causing me to jump.

"Was that the longest shower of your life?" Ezra chuckled.

I kept my head down and shook my head, unable to answer the question.

"Wait, did you even take a shower? Your hair isn't even wet!" He cried.

Shit. I hadn't even thought about at least wetting my hair to make my story seem half true. As I finally turned towards him, he looked into my eyes. I tried to hide all my current emotions, but being Ezra, he was able to see right through my wall of defense.

"Aria, are you okay? Oh my God, were you crying in the bathroom that whole time?" He exclaimed, noticing my tear stained cheeks.

He embraced me and held me close to his chest when I did not respond.

"About Maria… um..." I sighed softly, tilting my head to look up at him.

"They left, over two and a half hours ago. Aria, it's almost 7." He said, concern etched all over his face.

"Y-you shouldn't see her a-anymore." I closed my eyes as I whispered the words, getting myself ready to see Ezra in a mental breakdown.

"What do you mean? Aria, she's my own blood." Ezra stroked his thumb across my cheek. I opened my eyes at his touch. "I can't abandon her."

"Actually… She's not." I said quietly.

He looked at me questioningly, with a very confused look on his face.

"Ezra… don't be mad, but I found this…" I reached into my bedside table and pulled out the journal. I held it close to my chest for a moment.

"I found this…" I repeated. "And it is going to answer a lot of your questions." I handed the journal to him and he took it cautiously, as if it were going to explode at any moment.

"My questions about what?" He furrowed his brows and looked at me, confused.

"Maria." I whispered, as another tear slid down my rosy cheeks.

Sorry, cliffhanger! Wow! Jackie lied! I don't believe in Aria and Ezra getting married while Aria is so young. I feel like it's unrealistic. So… that's the explanation for why the beginning of this chapter was the way it was. I debated for a long time whether I should give you guys a dramatic chapter versus a fluffy chapter… but dramatic won :)

Some of you may have noticed that I skipped some time in this chapter… I couldn't resist. The closer I am to the baby's birth, the happier I am, which results in better chapters, which results in happier readers! I hope I have a lot of happy readers out there right now, because SO MANY of you wanted this chapter to happen! So, what did you think? Maria isn't Ezra's daughter and Jackie lied about it to get him back! REVIEW PLEASE!