Chapter 1

The Trip of Reuniting

I don't own PLL

This story will be only a few chapters long. :) This isn't proofed because I don't have the time to right now. I had originally planned to update this in a few days but I am posting it now for a friend.

Ezra's POV

I wring my hands together nervously as I make my way down Rosewood High School's hallway until I was standing in front of none other than Ella Montgomery's classroom. I take a deep breath in hopes of calming the nerves that were running high in my body prior to knocking on the door. Once I knock I hear a faint 'come in' from the other side of the door. This is it, there is no backing out. I pull the door open, step into the room while shutting the door behind me.

"Ezra, what can I do for you?" Ella looks up at me curiously from the essay she had been grading.

"I came here to ask you something." I say vaguely, nervously.

She raises her eyebrows at me, "Something involving Aria?"

"Yes," I nod my head in confirmation.

"Okay, what is it?" She asks simply.

"Oh right. Well two of my good friends that I have known since high school are getting married. Their wedding was coming up in a couple of weeks and I was hoping Aria could accompany me to it."

"I'm assuming you are leaving something out here. Last time I checked you've never asked neither Byron nor me for permission about taking Aria out on a date." Ella sits back in her chair with a knowing look.

I slightly chuckle with a nod of my head.

"You've got a point there. See the wedding is actually in California, San Francisco to be specific." I inform with an anxious look.

"And how long are you hoping to take my daughter alone to the other side of the country for?" Ella crosses her arms, her gaze never leaving my face.

"A week?" I say meekly.

"When is the wedding?"

"April 18th, I was hoping we could leave Rosewood on the 13th and return either the 20th or 21st."

"Are you truly going for the wedding or do you see it as a little vacation getaway opportunity?"

"I was hoping to take her with me because things have been really rough between us lately. I want to take her away from all the impending conflicts around us and give us time to bring ourselves back to who we used to be. I can tell she is unhappy with the direction our relationship has gone and if I am being honest, I am not too thrilled either. I just want to make things right and make her happy again. Please Ella, it would mean the world to me?"

"I've noticed a difference in her over the past couple of months too. What would you do about fixing the relationship if I said Aria couldn't go with you?" Ella asks.

"I'd find a way to fix it and hope in the mean time things don't get worse or interrupt us while we're trying to work through it—which is usually what has been happening." I explain honestly.

Ella nods her head silently without responding. Several awkward minutes, for me at least, pass until Ella asks another question.

"Does Aria know about the wedding or that you are here asking for permission?"

I shake my head in denial.

"No. With everything going on lately I had completely forgotten about the wedding until I was cleaning up my apartment and found the Save The Date card. That's when I got the idea of taking Aria with me. I didn't mention anything to her about it because I didn't want to get her hopes up in case you were to say no."

"I am going over to the house tonight for a family dinner. Come by about 9 tonight and I'll tell you my answer then you can talk with Byron about it."

"Thank you, Ella. It would mean the world to me if you both said yes. I appreciate you giving me the chance to talk to you about it." I smile brightly at her with excitement running through my veins.

I turn to leave the room, however as soon as my hand reached for the doorknob Ella's voice stopped me.

"One last question before you go."

I turn around to see her getting up from her chair, walking around her desk and leaning against the front edge of it.

"Are you and Aria sleeping together, intimately I mean?"

My jaw drops slightly and my mouth instantly goes dry. My hands subconsciously wring together nervously.

"Ella, I uh—I'm not sure that's…" I trail off awkwardly.

Ella doesn't hesitate to respond to my unfinished sentence.

"A twenty-five year old man is asking me permission to take my seventeen year old daughter to the other side of the country for a week. I can ask whatever question I feel relevant and the question about if you two will be having sex on this getaway is most definitely important." Ella crosses her arms once more and stares me down intently.

"I suppose you have a point there."

I clear my throat and avoid any and all eye contact with my girlfriend's mother.

"Yes, we have slept together. With that being said I want you to know that doesn't mean we will be taking advantage of our time away together if you do say yes. We haven't been intimate in some time now due to everything going on and the slight drift formed between us." I quickly reassure her.

"However if you plan on using the time to fix your relationship that most likely entails the possibility of you two getting together, isn't there?" Ella had a knowing look to her features.

"I honestly couldn't give you that answer. That part of our relationship is completely and 100% up to Aria, you'd have to as her that question."

Ella simply nods her head. "Thank you for being honest. I'll see you tonight, 9 o'clock."

With that being said I hurry to walk out of the room before she has any further awkward questions for me.

After leaving the room I walk down to the classroom I was substituting in for the remainder of the year to gather my briefcase so I could head home. Once I get out to my car I pull my phone from my pocket and dial Aria's number.

"Hey Babe, where are you?" Aria's angelic voice rings out over the phone when she picks up.

"I am on my way home now. I was wondering if you'd come over for a bit?" I ask hopeful.

"Actually, I am here now. I came over here after school." There was a slight teasing in her tone.

"Are you now, well I guess I will see you in a few minutes."

"I'll be waiting baby." Aria says lightly with traces of laughter in her voice.

"Love you baby, see you soon."

"Love you too."

I hung up my phone and slid it back into my pocket as I continue to drive through the small town.

LB

Shortly after hanging up with Aria I arrive at my apartment to see Aria lying on the couch reading a book. Aria smiled widely at me when she heard me open the door and jumped up from the couch to kiss me hello.

"I have something to talk to you about." I look her in the eyes and tighten my arms around her tiny waist.

"Is everything okay?" Her forehead creases in worry.

"Yeah, yeah of course. Here let's have a seat."

I lead Aria over to the couch and pull her down to sit in my lap. Aria lays her right arm around my neck and her left rest in her lap to fiddle with my right hand that I had placed on her thigh.

"I wanted to give you a little heads up so you wouldn't be shocked tonight when I come over." I start off but Aria instantly speaks up.

"Come over, as in to my house? Why would you do that?"

"I talked to your mom after school today about something. She told me to come over after dinner to discuss it with Byron as well as further more with her."

"What do you need to discuss with them?" Aria wonders curiously with a hint of worry.

"Two of my good friends since high school are getting married shortly. I was hoping to take you with me to their wedding, only if you want to of course." My fingers play with the hem of her skirt.

"I'd love to be your date to the wedding! When is it and where?" Aria asks with excitement in her eyes.

"You up for a sunny trip to San Francisco?" I say lightly with a laugh.

"California?" Aria's jaw drops and there is a new light in her eye that I couldn't determine.

"Now you know why I was asking your mom for permission. So what do you say?" I ask once more with hope.

"Just the two of us?" Aria bites her bottom lip.

I nod in confirmation. "Just the two of us for an entire week, all we need is your parents to say yes."

A huge smile breaks out on her beautiful face.

"I would love to go, Ez." Aria throws her arms around my neck and kisses me deeply.

"Let's just hope your dad doesn't try to kill me when I ask him. Though Ella was pretty reserved, she didn't seem like she was going to say no."

"I will be right there with you to try and convince him. It'll be hard but we can do it."

"I can't wait." Aria kisses me once more then snuggles into my arms with a smile plastered on her face.

Aria's POV

We had all finished eating dinner and were finishing cleaning up. Mike was up in his room, I was loading the dishwasher, and Mom was with Dad in the living room. I swallow nervously as I glance at the clock showing it was about five until nine. I can't believe Ezra really wants to take me to California with him. I will be blown away if my parents actually say yes. This is just what our relationship needs—what I need. I had just finished up the dishwasher when the doorbell rang right at nine.

"I'll get it," I call out to my parents as I hurry to the front door.

I unlock it and swing the door open to reveal my handsome boyfriend.

"Hi babe."

I stand up on my tippy toes to give him a quick kiss. I lace my hands in his to lead him to the living room where my parents sat.

"Ezra, Ella said you would be dropping by tonight to talk with us." My dad had a slight glare in his eyes.

"I was hoping to get your permission to take Aria to California with me for a week to attend a wedding." Ezra says straightforward.

"Excuse me." Byron scoffs. "Why would I allow you to do that? You don't take advantage of her enough here that you have to take her across the country to do it?"

"Dad!" I yell.

"Byron, just listen to what he has to say." Ella says calmly.

"That is not my intention at all. I would never hurt or take advantage of her. All I want is to give Aria this time to make up for lacking as a boyfriend towards her." Ezra shifts his weight anxiously.

"I still don't understand why you couldn't do that here."

You could see the anger building up in Bryon's eyes. I knew he would never listen to reason from Ezra or even myself. Byron can't stand Ezra and based on his reaction right now I don't think our chances look good. Every time Ezra would say something Byron would manage to come back with some kind of rebuttal.

"Mom will you please talk to dad and tell him how Ezra is not hurting me and that isn't what this trip entails?" I ask her with pleading eyes.

Mom nods her head with a small reassuring smile.

"You two go up to your room while your dad and I talk."

"I don't want them alone in her room. Absolutely not." Byron refuses with a look as if he were about to kill Ezra.

I roll my eyes at Byron.

"Fine, we'll go sit on the porch."

With my hand still in Ezra's we walk out the front door without another word. It was pure dark outside due to the lateness of the night. Ezra moved us over to the porch swing and gave me a smile. He took a seat on the far left, got situated then motions for me to sit. I move so my legs rest up on the long bench and my upper body is laid against Ezra's side with his arms wrapped around me. Our hands play with each other, tracing smooth patterns on the soft skin as we gaze up at the stars. You could faintly hear Ella and Byron arguing about the topic at hand inside. As usual Byron was saying some pretty nasty stuff about Ezra that just infuriated me to no end.

I turn my head from its place in Ezra's lap until my lips neared his forearm. I place light kisses all along his warm skin before I look up at him.

"Don't listen to him nothing he says about you is true." I whisper lowly to him.

"As much as I'd like to believe that we both know that some of it is true."

Ezra smiles sadly while running his hand through my straightened hair.

"Don't say that." I snuggle my head closer to his body and enjoy the feeling of being so close to him. The feeling of it being just him and I with no one else to interrupt our rare moment is what I live for and wish we could experience more often.

Meanwhile inside the house the yelling had finally stopped. Ella lowers her voice as she looks her ex-husband head on.

"You need to get over this grudge you have. He has done nothing to be treated the way you do. If and when he ever hurts her then and only then will I allow you to kill him." Ella says to a fuming Byron.

"He is hurting her Ella, everyday he is taking away her innocence, her childhood." Byron said regretfully.

"But he isn't. Look out the window and tell me what you see." Ella says softly.

Byron turns around and forces himself to look out the window. He stares at his little girl laying on the porch swing with her much older boyfriend.

"Now tell me, do you see a couple of irresponsible teenagers making out trying to 'get it on' while they are alone in a dark, somewhat secluded place? Or do you see two mature people waiting patiently and enjoying each other's company without their tongue shoved down the other's throat? It is just one week Byron, we will set ground rules and it will be fine."

Several silent minutes passed between the two as they look out the window.

"Fine, she can go. But I swear to god if she comes back hurt or pregnant I will kill him." Byron mutters before walking over to the cart of alcohol in the corner of the room, pours himself a glass then heads upstairs.

Ella watches as her former husband traipses up to his room, the place they had shared for nearly seventeen years. She couldn't help but smile for her daughter; tonight may have been somewhat of a breakthrough for Byron on his outlook for Ezra. All she can do is hope neither Aria nor Ezra do anything to push Byron off of the slight track to acceptance that he has just begun.

Let me just say you all know me and my writing therefore you all know this story WILL have sex in it. It won't be until a couple chapters in because Aria and Ezra have to bring their relationship to a point where they are ready for the intimacy again. But I promise this isn't a story where there is only one sex chapter and the sex chapter is NOT at the end of the story. Promise. Hope you all enjoy this :)