My first Ezria story and I hope it'll be good.

Name: Home

The plot: Rosewood after -A is revealed. For the purposes of this story, Melissa is -A. Caleb is back in town and Aria's parents are back together. Aria and Ezra continue their hidden relationship. It is revealed that -A set him up in that place in Ravenswood. It wasn't his one. There's no more -A and the life in Rosewood is back to normal. Or maybe not. What is Rosewood without secrets?

Rate: T or PG-13, whatever goes.

Couple: Ezra/Aria

Writer's note: Enjoy reading. You can either leave or not reviews. It doesn't matter to me if you enjoy the story and I hope you will. :)

Chapter 1: Coming home

It's been a month. A month, but looked like eternity. It was painful really, because they went back into keeping secrets and hiding from those who loved them. He needed his job and she had to graduate her High School. It was something they had to do three more months at least. Three months and looked like forever. Sometimes, they dreamed for a simple life. They dreamed for a life where they could be together openly. She could hold his hand and he could kiss her in front of all people. But it wasn't that case and with the recent revealed, their relationship was the last thing people needed to know.

Alison was dead. Melissa was -A. Spencer was devastated and Toby was doing everything to help her. Caleb was back in town and this time for good. That brought somewhat happiness in Hanna's life. As for Emily... she still suffered, because of Ali's death, but at least she had Paige by her side. Life went back to normal. There was no -A sneaking around. The secret meetings stopped and the life went back to Rosewood. People were back to their daily routine and only an old newspaper could bring them back to the events since month ago.

Aria was happy with her life, or so it appeared in front of the others. She went back to be the average teenage girl and a good student. She studied hard and had all of her homework done on time. Her grades were more than just fine and she had even applied in few colleges. Her scandalous relationship with her English teacher was almost forgotten. There was nothing but professional relationship between them when they were in school. He never called her by her name, only Ms. Montgomery. Although, people could see them chatting in the class room or in the hallway after every class. She was holding her books and he was pointing the mistakes in her homework. Or... so people thought.

Her parents were finally happy. They got back together just few weeks ago. Aria was happy with them. Her brother gone better as well. He got better at school and in his team. His grades improved and he started to hang out more with his friends. Everything was perfect and just then Aria decided to write a course of English literature in Philly. She was going there every weekend and she was back every Monday morning, just in time for school. Her parents agreed with her decision. After all, it was her last year at the High School and she had to get ready for the college.

"You're ready?" Ella asked her just as Aria had reached the front door. She wore small bag over her shoulder and a short black jacket over her tight jeans.

"Yes," Aria turned around just to plant a kiss on her mother's cheek. "And I'm gonna be late for the train if I stay here another five minutes."

"Okay, okay!" Ella laughed and looked how her daughter left the house.

When the door closed behind her back, the smile on Aria's face faded all of a sudden. She hated when she had to lie to her mother. She hated when she had to lie to her friends. But at the same time, she knew that lie was necessary. If that would keep Ezra safe, she was more than willing to do it. She shook her head and walked down the street, taking a cab a bit down the road. She was always careful when she was on her way to Ezra's apartment.

When she got there, the apartment was empty. Maybe he was out for dinner. It was their Friday routine and now it was his turn. Aria yawned and dropped the small back onto the floor. She snuggled in the bed and turned on the TV. It was so nice being here. She took his pillow and hid her face there, inhaling his scent. Nice chills went down her spine. It felt like home.

"Hey," his voice surprised her and she looked at the door. She was right. He was holding two paper bags with food, Chinese. Friday was their Chinese food night. "You're early." His smile made her heart skip a beat and she couldn't help but smile back. "What?" Ezra looked confused.

"You," Aria got off the bed and went to him. He pulled her into his arms and she suck there, sighing with pleasure. "I'm home now."

"Huh?" He mumbled with lips touching her hair. "Home? This small apartment?"

"No," Aria shook her head. "You."

"Me?" A slight blush colored his face and she giggled. After all this time, she was still able to make him blush. "What are you talking about?"

Aria shrugged, "I don't know. It just feels right when I'm with you. It feels like... I'm coming home and I can't wait for the weekends."

"Just few more months, Aria." Ezra leaned to kiss her and she sighed when he pulled back. "Just few more months."

"I know," Aria muttered and pulled back reluctantly. "I'm just sick of it, you know? I can't stand more secrets."

"Yeah," Ezra looked at her over his shoulder when he turned around and pulled the first box of Chinese food out of the paper bag. "I know what you mean. So... have you decided where are we going after that?"

Aria welcomed that sudden change in the subject and helped him with the other boxes. Few minutes later they were settled comfortably on the small couch, eating and discussing their future. It was later that night when Aria woke up in his arms and looked at the window. It was still dark and she just had woken up from a nightmare. She had them more often these days, but she didn't tell him. She didn't want to worry him. They just had learned how to live as a couple, even hiding that fact. And she had to admit that they were a pretty good team when it came to secrets. Maybe they just had developed some sort of defending mechanism against the other world, because the other world had shown nothing but disappointment for them.

Ezra's arm was resting over her waist and her back was touching his chest. Their fingers were laced even when they were sleeping and Aria couldn't help but smile. He didn't want to let her go even in his sleep. She liked that and suddenly, any thought of the nightmare disappeared. She closed her eyes and her thumb caressed his. Then she went back to sleep.

It was an early morning when she woke up. Ezra was still sleeping. He muttered something when she left the bed and she giggled. One thing Aria had learned from their relationship was that he really loved to sleep late in the weekends. That was giving her plenty of time to prepare the breakfast. They ate bagels every other morning, but the Saturday was saved for the pancakes. Aria had learned how to make pancakes not so long ago, but Ezra swore that he had never eaten better pancakes in his life. He obviously meant it, because he was leaving his plate empty every time.

Aria sighed and went to the small bathroom for her morning shower. When she walked out from it, Ezra was still sleeping. She shook her head, not surprised really and went to the small kitchen box. It didn't take her that much time to prepare the first few pancakes. Soon, she felt to warm hands resting at the both sides of her waist and she tilted her head.

"Morning," Ezra murmured and kissed her exposed neck.

"Morning," Aria turned around and gave him a kiss. "You're awake?"

"The pancakes," he pointed at the small plate close to her and a huge smile appeared on his face. "They woke me up."

"They?" Aria rose up her eyebrow and put the last pancake in the plate. Then she turned around and put the same plate on the small table they shared.

"And your magical hands of course," Ezra shrugged and pulled a chair, sitting opposite her and preparing his pancake.

"My magical hands can do a lot more than that, as you may know," Aria teased him and he almost choke.

"I'm aware of that," Ezra tilted his head, laughing. "Maybe you'll show me more tonight?"

"Or maybe this afternoon?" Aria chuckled.

"Or maybe when we finish the breakfast?" Ezra furrowed his brows.

"Why I even bothered to put my clothes on after the shower?" Aria shifted on her chair, giving him a look.

"Oh, that I wonder." His hunger eyes just made her whole body tremble impatiently. "Let me finish my breakfast and we can fix that."

She didn't say a word after that and saw his smile. Aria loved his smile. It was the most precious thing in her small world with him. She loved him and sometimes she was even afraid of how much. When they couldn't be together, she felt almost physical pain. She was able to hide it well, however. She had learned how dangerous it was to leave that pain exposed in the open. People would notice and she didn't want that. She had made that mistake once, not again. Aria was willing to protect her relationship with Ezra no matter of the cause, because she loved him. It was that simple.

Later, when they were cuddling in front of the TV and she lazily traced fingers over his arm, Aria felt his heavy sigh.

"What?" She asked without even bothering to move a muscle.

"Nothing," Ezra murmured, but she could feel that something wasn't right and turned her head slightly to look at him. "Well, maybe something."

"Waiting?" She furrowed her brows.

"Do you remember that kid... you know, that spread the rumors about you? You and me I mean?"

"Yeah," Aria nodded and leaned back her head on his shoulder. "My brother got blamed for smashing his car, although he was innocent. Well, he claimed to be innocent and even told me that it wasn't him, but... I always thought that he was trying to protect me somehow." She shrugged.

"That's the thing," Ezra said quietly and his body tensed. "It really wasn't him."

"So you know who did it?" Aria asked, but it was so long ago that she didn't really thought of it that much.

"Yes," he said quietly and she turned her face to him. "I know who did it."

"Ezra!" Aria finally realized the truth and frowned. "Was it even necessary? What if someone had found out? Big deal!"

"It was for me!" He frowned. "I told you that I'd do everything for you, Aria."

"He's just a kid, Ezra." She put her hand on the side of his face. "Kids do mistakes."

"Well," he shrugged. "I can't exactly say that I'm sorry for what I did, but I'm also not proud of it. The thing is... I had to do something."

"I know," she leaned to kiss him and he relaxed again. "Do you know how much I love you?"

"Show me," he took her in his arms and the next thing she felt was the softness of his bed beneath her.

"Good idea," she mumbled and they both giggled.

Aria overslept the next morning and that was the first time since they renewed their hidden relationship. She just couldn't leave the bed. Ezra was missing and she thought he went for food. Aria yawned and leaned back on the bed, ready to go back to sleep. Just then the phone rang. She cursed under her nose and grabbed it.

"Hmm?" She said instead of hello. It was Hanna.

"Morning to you too, or should I say good day?" Her friend's voice made her smile. "So... did you tell him?"

Aria's smile faded, "No, not yet."

"Aria!" Hanna's voice went louder.

"Volume!" Aria scoffed. "I'm gonna do it... today. I'm gonna tell him. Maybe."

"Aria!"

"Bye!" Aria scoffed and hung up the phone.

"Tell me what?" Ezra's voice made her jump and she saw him standing by the door, holding paper bags. "What, Aria?"