Written in the Stars

Chapter 1: Home and Whole

"We're almost home, baby," 18 year old Aria Montgomery said with a hint of a smile on her lips as she drove past the Welcome to Rosewood sign for the first time in a little over two years. She glanced in her rearview mirror and smiled at the toddler with long dark curly hair and big hazel eyes who was currently sound asleep in her booster seat. Aria quietly reached her hand forward and turned the music down so her little girl could sleep better.

At two years old, Scarlett Harper Montgomery was everything Aria could ever want. She was gentle but spunky, and she loved books even though she couldn't read yet. She was disciplined but also free-spirited, and, at times, Aria could see her own stubbornness in her little girl. Even though Aria was only 16 when she gave birth to Scarlett, she knew that she wouldn't take back any of the choices she'd made.

Aria sighed and ran a hand through her long, curly hair and glanced at her sleeping little girl once again. She could remember the exact moment she found out she was pregnant, and shortly after that, the exact moment her life began moving downhill…

"Come on. You can do this," Aria muttered to herself through clenched teeth. Her eyes were closed tightly, and she had been trying to convince herself to open them and read the results on the little white stick in front of her for the past five minutes. A few tears leaked down her cheeks as she once again thought about the predicament she was in. She was 16 year old, and instead of having the time of her life at the party her friends were currently at, she was trying to convince herself to read the results from her pregnancy test.

When did her life become so complicated?

"Just read it! You can do it," Aria muttered again, and this time she actually did open her eyes. She took a deep breath, then looked down at the little white stick she was holding in her shaking hands. A little pink plus sign glowed up at her, and she quickly dropped the stick and put one hand over her mouth to prevent herself from screaming or throwing up or both.

She was pregnant. She was only 16 years old, just a baby herself, and she was having a baby.

"Oh God," Aria sobbed as she slid down the bathroom wall and plopped down on the cold, tile floor. She laid her head down on her knees and allowed herself to sob. Her entire life was going to change. She was going to be a mom.

After a few minutes, Aria picked her head up and, with shaking hands, wiped at her tears. She glanced down at her flat stomach and bit her lip as more tears came. She hesitantly placed one hand over it and began rubbing small circles over it.

"I'm having a baby," she whispered as she stared at her stomach, almost as if in a trance.

"What am I going to do?" she whispered in a broken voice as more tears began to fall from her eyes. She was barely old enough to drive, and she was about to become responsible for another human being for the rest of her life. With shaking hands, she pulled her phone out of the back pocket of her blue jean shorts and sent out an "S.O.S" to each of her four best friends. It made her feel better to know that they would be at her house in just a few moments. She needed them now more than she'd ever needed them before.

Hanna was the first one to arrive just five minutes later. Aria listened as Hanna called her name, but she couldn't answer. She was frozen.

"Aria?" Hanna asked gently as she stuck her head in Aria's bathroom. Concern clouded her features when she spotted her best friend crumbled up on the floor. She hurried over to her and sat next to her, pulling her in for a hug in the process. She began smoothing her hair and rubbing her back.

"What happened?" Hanna asked gently, the possibilities ranging from bad to worse in her head. When Aria only shook her head, Hanna began to look around the bathroom. Her eyes landed on the little white stick that laid on the ground only a few inches from her feet. Hanna furrowed her eyebrows and reached for it. As she picked it up and noticed the glowing pink plus sign that marked it, her expression changed from confusion to heartbreak. She gently set the stick back down and held on to Aria more tightly.

"Oh, Aria. It's going to be okay. I promise, everything's going to be okay," Hanna murmured, but she wasn't sure she believed the words she was promising her best friend. Would everything be okay?

Hanna was still murmuring to Aria as Alison and Spencer rushed in the room. They both looked from Hanna to Aria worriedly, and Hanna just pointed to the test because it explained everything better than she would be able to. Tears filled Spencer's eyes and Alison's jaw dropped as they, too, noticed the tiny pink plus sign. They quietly arranged themselves on the other side of Aria. Nobody knew what to do, or what to say.

"Aria? Where are you?" Emily asked worriedly as she bounded into the bathroom. She saw all of her friends gathered around the crying Aria, a few tears falling from their eyes as well, and her heart automatically dropped to her stomach.

"What's going on? Somebody please tell me," Emily said, almost in tears herself, as she seated herself next to Hanna and began stroking Aria's hair. Alison handed the pregnancy test over to Emily.

"Oh no," Emily whispered as she stared at the little pink plus sign. She glanced at her friends, then back at the test. How could this be happening?

"It's going to be okay, Aria. We're all here for you, and we aren't leaving," Hanna murmured as Aria continued to cry. A few minutes later, Aria slowly sat up and rubbed her red, puffy eyes. She took her time looking at each of her friends and then down at her stomach again. Her hand was still rubbing circles on it.

"W-What am I going to do?" Aria asked as tears began to fill her eyes again. She willed herself not to let them fall; she couldn't cry forever. She needed to pull herself together and figure things out. Spencer, who was rubbing up and down Aria's arm gently, was the first one to speak.

"You have options, Ar. Abortion and adoption are both on the table. You don't have to drop everything and raise a baby if you're not ready to," she replied gently, her voice full of emotion. Aria clutched her stomach a bit tighter at Spencer's statement.

"What if I am ready to?" Aria asked quietly, not meeting any of her friends' eyes. She knew she sounded insane, but, even though she had been hoping for a negative on the pregnancy test, she had been fitting her baby into her life ever since she bought the test. It was her baby, her flesh and blood, and though unplanned, she couldn't help but love it already.

"Aria…" Emily left out slowly after processing Aria's question. She was worried that Aria wasn't thinking the situation through properly. Judging by her other friends' reactions, they were thinking the same thing.

"You realize what you're saying, right? That you're ready to give everything up and put all of your dreams aside? That you're ready to be a mom?" Alison asked slowly. She couldn't believe the situation they were in. She couldn't believe that Aria's entire life, and inevitably their lives, were about to change completely.

Aria breathed out a small sigh. She had anticipated their reactions, but she knew she could make them understand. Nobody understood her better than her girls. She looked up and met the shocked expressions of her four best friends.

"I know I sound like I've lost my mind, but please hear me out. I'm not happy about this at all. Noel and I were evidently not as careful as we'd thought we were, and I never expected this to happen. But, it did, and I have to step up and do something about it. Ever since the possibility that I could be pregnant entered my mind, I was beyond scared, but I also began fitting my baby into my life. I started rearranging my life in my head, and I can't just put it back the way it was now. I can do this; I can raise my baby. I know I can. I... I can't give it up now. I love it too much," Aria finished, wrapping both arms around her stomach protectively. She looked from Spencer to Ali to Emily to Hanna, and she smiled a small smile. She knew by the looks in their eyes that they believed her, believed in her, and would help her with anything she needed. She knew that her little baby already had the best aunties on the planet.

"Dibs on Godmother!" Hanna exclaimed suddenly, a big smile on her face as tears glistened in her eyes. Aria laughed at her best friend, feeling better already. She was about to promise the special title to Hanna, when she heard a surprised "Oh my God" come from the doorway. She whipped her head in the direction, and her stomach sunk as she noticed her parents standing in the doorway.

Her mother was looking from the positive pregnancy test to Aria in disbelief, and her father was staring at her with such an intense look that she wanted to hide. She quickly shot to her feet, and her friends stood up next to her. Alison, noticing the intense way Byron was staring at Aria, placed herself slightly in front of Aria protectively.

"Aria Marie Montgomery, what have you done?!" Byron boomed, causing Aria to flinch. She had never seen her father so angry before then; she had never been scared of her own father before then. She protectively placed an arm around her stomach, but tears sprung to her eyes.

"Aria… Please tell me that this is a mistake or some stupid joke or something. Please," Ella breathed out, her hand over her heart. Aria felt Hanna take her free hand and give it a supportive squeeze.

"It-It's not a mistake or a joke or anything like that. I'm so sorry. I really am pregnant," Aria said in a voice that sounded braver than she felt right then. Hanna squeezed her hand again, and Emily placed her hand on her back in support. Spencer was inching up next to Alison in case Aria needed more protection. She didn't trust the way Byron was eyeing Aria or the death glares he was shooting at her stomach.

"Well, not for long, you're not," Byron scoffed, and Aria froze.

"W-What do you mean?" she asked slowly, already having an idea of what he was inferring. The thought made her want to throw up.

"What do I mean?! I mean that we are going to take you to a clinic and have you fixed immediately!" Byron roared back. Aria felt fury build up in her body, and she took a step forward. Her friends moved with her, just in case.

"I'm not broken, Dad, I'm pregnant. And, you are not going to do a damn thing to hurt my baby," Aria seethed, a protective side she had never felt before coming out of her. Her dad laughed humorlessly.

"You are going to do what I say, and you are going to be happy about it! You live in my house, under my roof, and you will follow my rules. You are sixteen years old, and I will not allow you to tarnish this family's name by parading around town pregnant like some kind of whore! I am your parent, and you are my child, and you are going to do what I say!" Byron yelled back. Aria flinched again at his words, but she stood her ground. After all, she didn't just have herself to protect anymore.

"Yes, you are my parent. But, guess what? I am this baby's parent, and I will not let you hurt it!" Aria snapped back, taking her hand from Hanna's and wrapping it around her stomach with her other one. A few tears leaked from her eyes, but she didn't dare remove one of her hands to wipe them away.

"Like hell you won't," Byron said and started for her. He reached for her, but Spencer and Alison stood in the way, refusing to move. Emily and Hanna moved to stand next to them. None of the girls were going to let Byron hurt Aria or her baby.

"Get out of the way, girls. This does not concern you," Byron said in a low voice, fire in his eyes. The girls didn't move, only stood taller.

"You are not going to hurt Aria or her baby. I have 911 dialed on my phone, and all I have to do is press the call button for them to be here," Emily said in a threatening tone. Byron scoffed at her.

"I do not have time for this. Get out of my way!" He roared at the girls, who still refused to move. Aria looked to her mom for help, but saw that she was no longer standing in the doorway. So much for her mother's unconditional love and support.

"I don't want to do this, Mr. Montgomery, but I swear to God I will if I have to. I don't suppose the dean would be too forgiving with you if he were to find out that your students were earning their grades by having sex with their professor. They might even get the police involved. What was that you said about tarnishing your family's name? I wonder how much a student-teacher affair would tarnish your name," Alison spat out in a venomous voice, surprising even Aria with how fearless she sounded. Byron's eyes narrowed at the blonde.

"You little bitch. You wouldn't dare," Byron seethed, stepping closer to Alison. Alison didn't back down an inch.

"I don't think that's a risk you want to take," Alison spat back, staring him down. Byron stared at her for a moment, before backing away and punching the bathroom wall. Aria shrieked and hugged her stomach tighter. Byron swung back around and met Aria's eyes.

"This is not over. Do you understand me? You are not going to have that baby!" Byron screamed before turning around and storming out of the room. A few seconds later, Aria heard the front door slam shut. Her friends retreated from their protective stance and pulled Aria in for a hug. It was then that Aria knew she had to get away from her father. She had to protect her baby.

That same night, Aria packed her essentials, got in her car, and drove to Noel's house. She knew she had to get away, and she was hoping that Noel would go with her. What she hadn't been counting on, however, was that Noel wouldn't be willing to help her. When she told him she was pregnant, he called her a whore and stated rather harshly that he wasn't willing to give up his life for "a baby that probably isn't even mine anyway." Aria had been heartbroken because she really loved Noel, but she managed to push her feelings aside and put her baby first. She hadn't heard from Noel since then, and, consequently, she knew that she would never allow him to be in her baby's life even if he changed his mind and wanted to be.

She left Noel's house defeated and heartbroken, and from there, she just drove. She didn't know where she was headed, but she was always worried that she wasn't far enough away from her father. She ignored the numerous calls and texts that came flooding in from her friends and parents through the next couple of days, worried that if she answered, her father would track her phone and find her or her friends would try and convince her to go back. She couldn't go back, not when her baby's life was at risk.

Aria arrived in Nashville, Tennessee, a few days later, and she was convinced that she was safe. She quickly found an apartment for rent, deciding that she needed to make a home for her and her baby. The apartment wasn't anything special, only two bedrooms and a bathroom, but it was all she needed. The landlord, an older woman named Rose who reminded Aria of Hanna's grandma, seemed to take pity on Aria and her situation and cut the price back. Rose also helped Aria by giving her a job as a waitress at an old 50's styled diner she owned and paying her much more than Aria suspected a part-time waitress earned. Aria saved everything she could, depositing her new money into her savings account her grandparents set up for her long ago, and hoping that the money would be enough to keep her and her baby alive and well.

Aria enrolled herself into the local high school, and she managed to completely get through her sophomore year before Scarlett Harper Montgomery was born in June. When school began again the following August, Rose baby-sat Scarlett, refusing for Aria to give up her education at a time when she needed it most. Rose quickly became a mother-figure for Aria, and Aria would always be grateful to her.

Aria had missed her friends who were more like sisters to her ever since she left Rosewood. She had only called home once and told Spencer to let the girls know that she was okay. She couldn't risk her father knowing where she was, so she refused to let Spencer know her location. There wasn't a day that passed by that Aria didn't miss her friends terribly. She constantly found herself wishing they could see her beautiful Scarlett, wishing they could see how smart and beautiful Scarlett was, and wishing they were there to dry her tears when she wanted nothing more than to give up.

In fact, as senior year was approaching, Aria's desire for her friends grew to desperate measures. She remembered all of the sleepovers they all had together when they would talk and dream about the epic senior year they would all have together. As Aria's memories grew stronger, she knew it was time to go home. Her father couldn't do anything to her now because she was a legal adult, and she certainly didn't plan on letting either of her parents close enough to Scarlett to hurt her. It was time for her to go home to Rosewood, the place her heart had longed for for two years.

Rose helped her pack up their things in under a week, and she let them go this morning with a hug and the promise that they would stay in touch.

After about ten more minutes of driving, Aria arrived at the Marin house. She smiled as the many moments she'd spent at the exact location with her friends flooded her memory. She just hoped that her friends would be willing to forgive her for leaving them. She turned the car off and unbuckled her seatbelt, turning around in her seat as she did so. She reached her arm back and gently began to shake Scarlett awake.

"Scarlett baby, wake up. We're home sweetie," Aria murmured, her smile broadening as she thought about the fact that she was finally back home in Rosewood. Although Nashville had been nice and a great place to raise Scarlett, it didn't hold a candle to Rosewood, where her heart would always remain. She was thrilled that Scarlett would be able to grow up in the same comfort that she herself grew up around.

Aria's smile softened as Scarlett's eyes opened slowly. Scarlett reached her small hands up and rubbed her eyes.

"Mommy, where are we?" Scarlett asked in her small, tired voice. Aria reached forward and brushed a strand of Scarlett's long curly hair out of her face.

"We're in Rosewood, baby. We're home," Aria replied softly, smiling when she saw Scarlett's eyes brighten at her response. "Momma is gonna come around and get you, okay? Then we'll head inside," Aria said. Scarlett nodded, and Aria proceeded to get out of the car and open Scarlett's car door. She unbuckled the petite toddler — her size was one of the many things she'd inherited from Aria - and scooped her up into her arms, swinging her around so she was balanced on her hip.

"There is someone very special who lives here that I can't wait for you to meet," Aria said with a nervous smile as she walked up the driveway and headed for the front door. She felt Scarlett lay her head down on her shoulder.

"Who is it, Mommy?" Scarlett spoke slowly, carefully pronouncing her words. She had always been well-spoken, and Aria liked to think that it was because of all of the books she had read to her.

"Your Godmother, Auntie Hanna. She is going to be so surprised to see you, baby," Aria said as she slowly approached the front door. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest as she hesitantly reached forward and knocked on the door with shaking hands. She was so scared, so worried that her friends were going to hate her for leaving them, and she honestly didn't know what she would do if that were to happen.

Aria tried to control her breathing as she heard footsteps on the other side of the door. A second later, the door opened, and Hanna stood before her. She was a bit taller and more glamorous than Aria remembered, but she was still her Hanna.

"Look kid, I already told you once. I don't want to buy a turtle from you. They're slimy and they're gross and they're most certainly not worth a hundred dollars," Hanna said in a bored tone, not bothering to look up from her iPhone screen to see who was standing in front of her.

"Well, I guess we'll just leave then," Aria said in an amused voice, smiling nervously as she watched Hanna's gaze snap up to meet her own.

"Aria…" Hanna breathed out, hardly able to believe that her long lost best friend was standing in front of her. A smile spread across her face. "Aria!" Hanna squealed this time and proceeded to pull Aria into a bone-crushing hug. A few tears of joy and relief leaked down Aria's cheeks as she hugged Hanna back and inhaled the familiar scent of cotton candy. After a few minutes, they girls pulled apart. Hanna was grinning like a kid on Christmas morning. Both wiped their tears away with their hands.

"What are you doing here? When did you get back? Are you staying? Have you told the others?" Hanna spewed out one question after another, making Aria smile. She expected these questions, and she was prepared to answer them.

"We just got here a few minutes ago, I haven't told the others, and we're definitely staying. We're home," Aria replied with a smile. "But, do you think we can come inside? I promise I'll fill you in on everything," she asked. Hanna nodded and stepped aside, allowing the girls to enter. Aria looked around as the door shut behind her. As far as she could see, nothing major had changed in the two years she'd been gone.

"Mommy, is this Auntie Hanna's house?" Scarlett asked in a small voice as her two-year-old eyes took in the unfamiliar sights around her. Aria grinned as she watched Hanna finally notice Scarlett. Tears filled Hanna's eyes, and she clapped a hand over her mouth.

"It sure is, baby. Scarlett, this is your godmother, Auntie Hanna. Hanna, meet Scarlett Harper Montgomery," Aria said with a large smile as Hanna's gaze shifted back to Aria for a second. Her eyes were wide and excited.

"Godmother?" Hanna asked, barely able to believe what she was hearing. Aria nodded.

"Well, you did call dibs," Aria joked back. Hanna stepped closer to Scarlett and smiled at her.

"I am so happy to meet you, Miss Scarlett. I can't wait to spoil you rotten with toys and clothes and sugar and anything else you might ever want," Hanna said with a big grin. Her grin widened as Scarlett held out her hands for Hanna to take her, which Hanna happily obliged to. Hanna quickly scooped Scarlett into her arms and spun her around, laughing as a giggle emitted from Scarlett.

"I'm glad you're my godmother, Auntie Hanna!" Scarlett squealed as Hanna spun her around once more. Hanna was so elated in that moment that she was have easily given Scarlett a million dollars if she'd asked for it. Aria knew she'd made the right decision in naming Hanna Scarlett's godmother.

After a few minutes, Hanna balanced Scarlett on her hip and smiled down at her. She already felt so connected to the little girl, even though she'd just met her.

"Scarlett, why don't you ask Auntie Hanna if she has anything you can eat? You were still asleep when lunchtime rolled around, so I bet that tummy is hungry," Aria suggested with a playful grin. Hanna smiled down at her god-daughter, who only then seemed to realize how hungry she actually was. Hanna giggled when she heard Scarlett's stomach growl. She began leading the two into the kitchen. She walked over to the refrigerator and let Scarlett look around, pointing out various food items.

"What do you think, Scarlett? Do you see anything that suits your fancy?" Hanna asked as she held Scarlett close. Aria wasn't sure she would ever get her daughter back from Hanna.

"Yes! Sketti!" Scarlett replied, her face lighting up when she saw the plastic container of left-over spaghetti. Hanna grinned at the little girl's excitement.

"Sketti it is, then!" Hanna declared as she took the plastic dish out of the refrigerator and shut the door. She then proceeded to set Scarlett down on the floor so she could get a bowl ready for her. Aria moved from her place in the doorway.

"I can do that for her, Han," she said as she reached for the bowl. Hanna pushed her hand away and shook her head.

"I'm sure you can, but it's Auntie Hanna's turn now," Hanna replied with a grin, making Aria roll her eyes playfully.

Ten minutes later, Scarlett was seated at the kitchen table with a bowl of spaghetti and a cup of apple juice in front of her, and Aria was seated next to her, helping her whenever she needed it. Hanna, who was seated right next to Aria, laid her phone down in front of her and looked at Aria.

"I just sent an SOS to the girls, so they should be here any minute," Hanna said with a small smile as she watched Aria take a napkin and wipe tomato sauce from Scarlett's cheek. She couldn't believe that Aria and her daughter were sitting right there with her when, just yesterday, she had been wondering what Aria was doing. She'd made up a world for Aria in her head after she left, picturing her running a small clothing boutique in New York with a beautiful little girl attached to her hip. Hanna knew it wasn't realistic, but she liked thinking that her best friend wasn't suffering, even if she missed her more than anything. But, now she and Scarlett were home, and Scarlett was even more amazing than she could have ever imagined. Hanna finally felt whole for the first time in two years.

"Are the girls mad at me… for leaving?" Aria asked in a quiet voice after a minute of silence, daring to steal a glance at Hanna. Hanna put on a sympathetic smile and took Aria's hand. Even though she herself felt a little upset with Aria for just leaving without saying goodbye, seeing her and Scarlett and knowing that they were both happy and healthy somehow made that anger disappear. She hoped the others would feel the same.

"None of us are happy that you just up and left without even a goodbye, but we all understand why you did what you did. We were all more worried than angry. It was scary knowing that you were 16 and pregnant and all by yourself out there, and it drove us all crazy knowing that we couldn't help you. We all knew you would come back one day… I'm really happy that you did," Hanna replied truthfully, squeezing Aria's hand in comfort. Aria gave Hanna a small smile and swallowed the lump of guilt in her throat. Even though she was excited to see her girls again and to introduce them to Scarlett, she was scared that maybe they were more angry than Hanna anticipated. What if they weren't as forgiving as Hanna was?

"How are they? I mean, what are you all up to now? Who are you dating?" Aria asked, wanting to know everything she could before the others arrived. She watched as Hanna shifted in a chair so she could see Aria more fully.

"Well, I was working at this nice clothing store just a few minutes from here, but I got let go last week. Apparently they don't like it when you hide clothes so the customers can't buy them before you get paid to buy them yourself. Whatever. I was so over that place anyway. I am dating a guy named Caleb Rivers. He moved to Rosewood shortly after you left, and I am really happy with him. Spencer has a summer job at the library, which is really boring and quiet, but it's so Spencer-like. She loves it. She started dating Toby Cavanaugh around the same time I got with Caleb. They're so good together, they're like practically married. And, Emily and Ali are actually together. That didn't happen until about a year ago. Em has been busy practicing her swimming and working as a lifeguard at the kid's pool, and Ali has been working at the Rosewood Animal Shelter since a couple months after you left. Everyone seems really happy, but we've all missed you," Hanna replied, and Aria was surprised at the information she was getting. She was really happy for her friends, and she couldn't wait to tell them so.

Aria didn't get the chance to respond, however, because she heard Hanna's front door open and footsteps echoing in the spacey house. Aria gulped and shakily pushed her hair behind her ear.

"Han? Where are you?" she heard Emily call out. The footsteps were getting closer, and Scarlett began tugging at Aria's shirt. Aria glanced at her and had to smile at the spaghetti sauce all over her mouth. She picked up a napkin and quickly wiped the sauce from Scarlett's face.

"I swear, Hanna. If your SOS is about shoes again, I will personally march up to your room and throw them all out your window," Alison declared as she got closer and closer to where Hanna, Aria, and Scarlett were seated in the kitchen. Aria quickly stood up and balanced Scarlett on her hip. She had been waiting on this moment for two years, and she was more than ready.

"And I will help her. Where are you, Hanna?" Spencer called out. A second later, the three girls appeared around the corner. Aria let out a smile. They all looked the same as they did when she left, they were just a bit more grown up now. It was Spencer who spotted her first.

"Aria? What… Is that really you?" Spencer was slowly approaching Aria, opening and closing her eyes a few times to ensure that she wasn't dreaming. Her eyes were wide and a bit wet with tears, but a smile was making its way across her face. Aria stole a glance at Emily and Alison, and smiled even more when she saw that they both wore expressions similar to Spencer's. She shifted Scarlett up a bit higher and let out a breath she didn't even know she was holding.

"Surprise," Aria let out weakly, and was immediately smothered in Spencer's embrace. Aria hugged back as tightly as she could, letting a few tears slip from her eyes. She pulled away a few seconds later and repeated her actions with Emily and then with Alison. She felt so overwhelmed with happiness that she thought she might explode.

"So, are you home? For good?" Alison asked as the two separated from their hug. Aria began nodding her head as more tears fell from her eyes. She didn't make any move to wipe them away.

"We're home. For good," Aria responded, earning and excited squeal from Alison and big smiles from both Spencer and Emily. She looked from one friend to the other and so on, but she was interrupted by a small voice.

"Momma, why are you crying?" Scarlett asked, concern laced in her expression. Aria smiled at the little girl in her arms, feeling like she couldn't be any happier than she was in that moment. She leaned over and kissed Scarlett's nose.

"Momma's just really happy, baby. Everything's okay," Aria responded as she wiped away her tears to satisfy Scarlett. Scarlett seemed to accept the answer and turned her attention back to the three strange girls in front of her. Aria looked up and saw Spencer, Alison, and Emily all staring at Scarlett with big smiles and expressions of wonder. Like Hanna, they hadn't noticed Scarlett until she spoke.

"Guys, I want you to meet the most important little lady in my world, Scarlett Harper Montgomery. Scarlett, baby, this is your Auntie Spencer, Auntie Alison, and Auntie Emily," Aria said with a grin, pointing respectively as she introduced Scarlett to her three other aunties. Scarlett gave a small wave, and Alison let out a squeal. She walked closer to Scarlett and held out her hands. After a moment of hesitation, Scarlett let Alison pull her into her arms.

"I am so happy to meet you, Scarlett! You look so much like your momma," Alison said with a big smile as she stared at Scarlett. Scarlett grinned back and reached a small hand out and gently brushed it over Alison's face.

"You're really pwetty. Like 'Punzel!" Scarlett said in a happy voice, making Alison grin even more.

"Thank-you, sweetie. But, do you want to know a secret?" Alison asked. Scarlett nodded her head energetically, happy to be a part of something as important as a secret. Alison leaned closer to Scarlett and whispered, "You're prettier." At Alison's words, a face-eating smile took over Scarlett's face.

"Okay, okay. It's my turn now! Let me see this precious thing," Spencer said as she took Scarlett from Alison's arms and spun her around. A giggle erupted from Scarlett, making all of the girls giggle as well.

"I am very happy to meet you, Miss Scarlett! I can't wait to take you down to the library where I work. I can get you your very own library card and everything!" Spencer said in an excited voice. Scarlett's eyes widened at her Auntie Spencer's words, and she could barely contain her excitement as she squealed, "I love books!"

"Then you and I are going to get along perfectly, huh?" Spencer replied, reaching down and tickling Scarlett's tummy. Scarlett let out a belly-laugh, and Spencer swore she had never heard anything more perfect in her entire life.

"My turn, my turn!" Emily said excitedly, smiling and taking Scarlett into her own arms after Scarlett held out her arms to her. Emily balanced Scarlett on her hip and grinned broadly at her.

"You are so beautiful, Scarlett," Emily said in a voice of awe as she took in the little girl's appearance. Scarlett smiled at her Auntie Emily.

"You know, Auntie Spencer may be able to get you a library card where she works, but I can teach you how to swim where I work," Emily said in a knowing voice, watching as Scarlett's beautiful hazel eyes widened in excitement.

"I can swim like Ariel?" Scarlett asked, wonder dancing across her face. Emily grinned at the little girl and brushed a stray strand of hair out of her face. Clearly Scarlett had a thing for Disney princesses. She would have to remember that the next time she was around a toy store, which she figured would be soon because she knew that Scarlett already had her wrapped around her little finger.

"If it's okay with your mommy," Emily replied, shooting a smile at Aria. Aria was struggling to keep her tears at bay finally watching her best friends and her little girl together. She had dreamed about this moment so many times since Scarlett was born, but her dreams had been nothing in comparison to the real thing.

"Can I, Momma?" Scarlett asked in excitement. Aria giggled at her little girl, unsure if she had ever seen her so happy.

"We'll see, sweetie. We have to get settled in somewhere and get unpacked first," Aria replied, though she knew that she would have no problem letting Emily teach Scarlett how to swim. She trusted her best friends with her life, and, in doing so, she also trusted them with Scarlett's life. Spencer looked back at Aria then.

"Where are you guys staying?" Spencer asked curiously.

"Um, probably at a cheap hotel for tonight, and then tomorrow we will get out and find an apartment for us to live in and a day-care to get her enrolled in before school starts back again," Aria replied, letting out a breath. Hanna scoffed at Aria's reply.

"Okay, no. You and my precious God-daughter are not staying in some dinky hotel where bugs are just waiting for the opportunity to crawl in your hair and ruin it forever. You guys are going to stay here with me and my mom," Hanna replied, horrified at the idea of Aria and Scarlett staying at a hotel on their first night home. She wouldn't stand for something so awful. Aria began to shake her head in response, but Hanna spoke up again before Aria could say anything.

"You can shake your head all you want, but I am not taking no for an answer. My mom will be so thrilled to see you, and you guys can even stay the night too," Hanna said, focusing her attention on Alison, Emily, and Spencer, who were all happy with Hanna's idea. Spencer glanced at Aria, who still seemed unsure about the idea. She didn't want to make a burden of herself.

"Please, Aria. We haven't seen you in two years. We have loads to catch up on," Spencer pleaded, and Aria let out a small breath. She couldn't say no.

"Alright," Aria finally relented, making the other girls smile. Hanna let out a squeal and clapped her hands.

"Sleepover!" Hanna squealed, and Aria couldn't help but grin at her best friend. As she looked from Hanna to Spencer to Alison to Emily, who was still holding Scarlett and talking softly to her, she knew that coming home had been the right decision.

A few hours later, all six girls had changed into more comfortable clothes and were currently sprawled out in various places in Hanna's living room with Frozen playing on the screen in front of them. Aria had already seen the movie about a hundred times with Scarlett, but the other girls hadn't, and Scarlett just had to show her aunties the best movie on the planet.

"Mommy, I'm hungry," Scarlett said to Aria from her place on Hanna's lap. Aria diverted her attention from the movie and smiled at her little girl. She held out her arms, and Scarlett grinned and moved into them, allowing Aria to pull her onto her lap. Aria glanced at her phone and saw that it was almost six o'clock in the evening, which is usually when she'd start getting Scarlett's dinner ready.

"Ooh, let's order pizza!" Emily said from her place on the chaise lounge next to Alison. Aria smiled when she saw their hands intertwined. She had been a bit unsure originally when Hanna said that the two were together, but after seeing them together all afternoon, she knew that they were meant to be.

"Okay, I'll just order our usual. Aria, do you still like green olives with extra cheese?" Hanna asked as she began standing up to go find the number to the nearest pizza place. Aria nodded, and Hanna smiled and left the room. For the first time in two years, she would be ordering five different pizzas instead of four, and she was more than happy to shell out the extra money.

When Hanna left, Scarlett stood up out of her mother's lap and walked over to Spencer, who was lounged in her favorite big comfy chair of Hanna's. Spencer smiled when she saw the little girl approach, and she proceeded to help her up and into her lap. Scarlett sat back with her head against Spencer's chest, and Spencer began running her fingers through the little girl's long hair.

"What's your favorite pizza, Auntie Spencer?" Scarlett asked in a soft voice.

"Hmm, I like lots of cheese," Spencer replied. Hearing that, Scarlett sat up and stared at Spencer with excited eyes.

"That's my favorite too!" Scarlett squealed, making Spencer smile.

"Is it? Well, I guess that's just one more thing we have in common!" Spencer replied with an amused expression. Scarlett grinned and stared at Spencer for a minute before turning and resting her head back down on Spencer's chest. Spencer immediately started playing with Scarlett's hair again.

"I love you, Auntie Spencer," Scarlett said in a content voice, and Spencer felt tears prick the back of her eyes. She leaned forward and kissed the top of Scarlett's head. She couldn't believe that Scarlett was there, that Aria was there, and that she finally felt whole again. She couldn't believe how much she loved Aria's little girl already, and she believed it might be because she was just like Aria.

"I love you too, sweet girl. So, so much," Spencer replied with a smile, shooting a smile at Aria, too, who had been watching the entire exchange between her daughter and the other half of Team Sparia. Tears glistened in Aria's eyes, and she had to look up to keep them from falling. She felt happier in that moment than she had in two years.

An hour later, the girls were finishing their pizza and watching The Little Mermaid, which Scarlett insisted because "Auntie Emily is a mermaid too!" The pizza boxes were open and spread out on the coffee table with bottles of soda and some juice boxes for Scarlett. The girls were all in their same places as earlier, except now Scarlett was curled up between Emily and Alison. Aria felt herself begin to doze off, feeling the exhaustion of the day coming over her, but she was startled awake when she heard the front door open and then close followed by the clicking of high heels against the hardwood flooring.

"Hey girls, do you have room for one more? Work was brutal, and I am starving," Ms. Marin asked as she walked into the room, not noticing Aria or Scarlett. Instead of saying anything, Aria decided to wait until Ashley noticed them herself. She watched as Ashley walked over to the coffee table and grabbed a slice of Hanna's pepperoni pizza.

"Why did you girls order so many pizzas? You usually only order four. And, why are y'all watching The Little Mermaid?" Ms. Marin asked, recognizing the movie from when Hanna was a little girl.

"Because Auntie Emily is a mermaid too!" Scarlett replied in an excited voice from her place in-between Alison and Emily. Ashley spun around at the unfamiliar child's voice and smiled unsurely at her.

"Hanna, who is this?" Ashley asked in a curious voice, staring at the little girl who was now smiling at her. Something was familiar about her, but Ms. Marin was certain she had never met her before. Before Hanna could answer, Aria took a deep breath and answered herself.

"Her name is Scarlett. She's my daughter," Aria replied, a nervous smile on her lips as she watched Ms. Marin spin around and stare at Aria with a surprised expression on her face. She slowly walked closer to Aria, who stood up.

"Aria, honey? Is that really you? Oh my God. Where have you been? When did you get back?" Ms. Marin's reaction was similar to how Hanna's had been, but Aria smiled nonetheless. Before she could answer any of the questions, though, she was engulfed in a big hug by Ms. Marin. When Ms. Marin pulled back, she cupped Aria's face in her hands and stared at her with tears falling freely from her eyes. Aria had always felt like another daughter to her, much like the other girls, and she couldn't believe she was standing right in front of her again.

"Aria. Oh, sweetie, where have you been? Are you finally back home for good?" Ms. Marin asked softly, afraid that if she were to look away, Aria would be gone again. Aria reached up and wiped a few tears from her eyes. She had always been closer to Ms. Marin than she had been to her own mother.

"I promise I will answer all of your questions as soon as I get Scarlett to sleep, but yes. We are definitely home for good," Aria replied with a smile, and Ms. Marin understood Aria not wanting her little girl to hear what she was going to say. She hugged Aria again, so relieved that she was home.

"Okay, now introduce me to that sweet baby of yours," Ms. Marin said with a big smile as she released Aria. Aria smiled back and walked over to Scarlett and scooped her up into her arms. She balanced Scarlett on her hip and walked back over to where Ms. Marin was standing with a big smile on her face and tears in her eyes. Hanna paused the movie, and all the girls watched with happy smiles on their faces as Aria introduced Scarlett.

"This is Scarlett Harper Montgomery. Scarlett, this is your Grandma Ashley," Aria said with a smile. She figured Ms. Marin would be okay with her new title as Grandma Ashley, and, judging by the expression on her face, she was correct in that assumption. Scarlett looked at Aria then.

"She's my gwandma?" Scarlett asked in a happy voice, as she had wanted a grandma ever since Aria read her a story about a little girl and her grandma. Aria smiled at her little girl and hesitantly at Ms. Marin.

"She is, baby. If that's okay with you?" Aria questioned, diverting her words to Ms. Marin at the end. Ashley looked at Aria with excitement in her eyes.

"Of course it's okay. Come here, sweet baby," she replied as she held out her arms to Scarlett. Scarlett didn't waste any time letting her grandma pull her into her embrace and slinging her arms around her neck.

"I am so happy to finally meet you, Scarlett! I am so happy you and your mommy are home," Ms. Marin said to the little girl as she hugged her back. Scarlett pulled back then and grinned at Ms. Marin.

"I've always wanted a gwandma," Scarlett said in a sweet voice, and, in that moment, Ms. Marin swore she would melt. She was so in love with the beautiful little girl in her arms, and she was so proud to call herself her grandma, even if it wasn't by blood.

About an hour later, Aria walked back into the living room with the girls and Ms. Marin after putting Scarlett to bed in Hanna's bed upstairs. She hadn't put up much of a fight, and Aria suspected it was because she had had such a busy day. Aria smiled as she saw the girls and Ms. Marin all spread out on the carpet with pillows and blankets, waiting anxiously for Aria to tell them everything they'd missed while she had been gone. And, finally, Aria felt ready to answer their questions. She hurried over to them and took a seat between Spencer and Alison.

"Okay, before you all start asking a million questions, I am just going to tell you everything that happened. If you still have questions after that, I will be happy to answer them. Okay?" Aria asked, figuring that would be the easiest way to go about things. After receiving nods from everyone, she began.

She told them all about the night she left. She told them about Noel doubting that Scarlett was his and calling her a whore (and she had to put a hand on Hanna to keep her from going over to the Kahn house and giving Noel a piece of her mind). She told them about how she just drove until she felt far enough away to keep her baby safe. She told them about how she met Rose and how much Rose had given up to help take care of her and Scarlett. She told them about being in labor and Scarlett's birth, which had lasted exactly twenty-three hours and forty minutes, and how Rose hadn't left her side for a second. She told them all about Scarlett: about how her first word had been book, her favorite color yellow, and her favorite food peanut butter. She told them about her job at the diner and about how she had managed to continue to go to high school with Rose's help and about how much she'd hated her high school. She'd never felt like she belonged, and the kids there didn't take kindly to teenage moms.

She ended by telling the girls about her decision to come back to Rosewood. She told them that she'd had to wait until she had turned 18 so she would be an adult and her father couldn't do anything to her legally. She didn't forget to mention how much she'd longed for them and for Rosewood every day she'd been gone and how she'd cried herself to sleep many nights because all she wanted was to be home.

"Are you going to go see your parents?" Emily asked after Aria finished and the others had time to process everything she'd told them. Aria was quiet for a minute before she answered.

"I don't want to, but I will probably go over there sometime and let them know that I'm back and that I don't want anything to do with them. Scarlett isn't going to see them, though. I can't have them hurt her like they did me," Aria replied with a sad sigh. Of course she'd thought about her parents before she came back, but she knew that there was nothing they could do to her now that she was a legal adult.

"Your mom still works over at the high school, but she is a history teacher now. We all had to drop her class after she didn't do anything to protect you from your dad. She hasn't been the same since you left," Alison offered up in a sad voice. And, what she said was true. After Aria left, Ella wasn't the same spunky, happy woman she'd always been. She started showing up to school in less formal clothes, such as blue jeans, and she never smiled anymore.

"I guess I will have to make sure to go see her before school begins again so I won't just run into her there," Aria replied in a soft voice, feeling tears prick at the backs of her eyes. She wanted more than for things to be okay between her and her mom, but they just weren't anymore. She couldn't just forget about what her mom was going to let Byron do to her and her baby, and she hadn't felt like she could trust her mother in a long time.

"Where are you and Scarlett going to stay?" Ms. Marin asked Aria, trying to get off the subject of her parents, which was clearly a painful subject for her. Aria looked relieved at the change of subject and shot Ms. Marin a grateful look.

"Um, I am going to go find a small apartment for us tomorrow. I am also going to look around for a job so I will be able to afford said apartment," Aria replied with a small smile. She hoped she would be able to find a relatively small apartment for a decent price; she and Scarlett didn't need much. Ms. Marin looked thoughtful at Aria's response, and her eyes lit up when an idea occurred to her.

"What if you and Scarlett just stay here with Hanna and me? We have two guest rooms we can turn into rooms for the two of you, and you wouldn't have to worry about cramming to make rent that way," Ms. Marin suggested, worrying about Aria trying to work too hard and not having enough time for Scarlett and her schoolwork. Sure, she'd had to do so when she was living alone in Nashville, but she wasn't alone anymore.

"No, no. I don't want to make a burden of us. We will be fine," Aria replied quickly. She didn't want her friends or Ms. Marin to get annoyed with her. Hanna spoke up before Aria could say anything else.

"Come on, Ar. It will be so much fun! It will be like sleepover every night, and Auntie Hanna needs her Scarlett," Hanna said with a pleading look in her eyes. She felt thankful that she had such a giving mom. Aria shook her head again.

"Auntie Hanna will be able to see her Scarlett any time she wants, but I can't burden you guys like that. Me and Scarlett will make things work," Aria replied. She began to think about how much easier things would be if she did accept Ms. Marin's offer, but she quickly shook that thought out of her head. She didn't want to be a burden.

"Sweetie, you two will not be a burden to us. And, I will not take no for an answer. You two are going to stay with us, and that's final," Ms. Marin replied sternly, but she had a smile across her face. Aria sighed and nodded her head a little bit. She didn't want to admit it, but staying with the Marins would be such a relief to her.

"Thank-you, Ms. Marin. I really appreciate everything," Aria said sincerely, earning a smile and a wink from Ashley. Aria couldn't wait to tell Scarlett that they would be living with her Auntie Hanna and Grandma Ashley; Scarlett would be so excited.

"Are you going to see Noel at all?" Spencer asked after a few minutes of silence. Aria frowned a little as she thought about Noel and all the pain he put her through. She vowed a long time ago to never let him inflict pain on Scarlett as he had done to her.

"Rosewood is a small town, so I'm sure I'll run into him at some point. But, he won't have anything to do with Scarlett," Aria replied in an almost angry voice. She couldn't help it; she felt nothing but anger when she thought about Noel. She hated the fact that he'd had everything easy after she left when she'd had everything so difficult.

"I think that's smart. I never really liked him before, but he's been especially intolerable since you left. He became one of those hump and dump guys," Hanna replied. Aria was surprised by the news she was receiving, but she was also not surprised. She would have been surprised if Hanna had been talking about the old Noel she had dated for two years and fallen in love with, but the Noel Hanna was talking about was the one that completely abandoned Aria and his child. Aria saw his true colors when he called her a whore after she told him she was pregnant, and, consequently, everything Hanna was saying about him seemed completely plausible.

"Did… Did he ever ask about me after I left?" Aria asked hesitantly, unsure if she actually wanted to know the answer or not. Aria watched as Emily and Alison exchanged a look. Neither of them looked like they wanted to share what was on their minds. "What? Just tell me," Aria pleaded after nobody answered. Alison sighed and spoke up.

"He came to my house about a week after you left and refused to leave until I told him where you were. Of course, I didn't know where you were, so I had to get my dad to make him leave. The next day at school, he told everybody…" Alison trailed off, not wanting to finish her sentence. After receiving a look from Aria, she sighed and continued. "He told everybody that he caught you having sex with an older man and that you ran away because you were too embarrassed that the older man had gotten you pregnant," Alison finished in a quiet voice. Aria felt her stomach clench.

"Of course, we did everything we could to steer people straight. We didn't let him completely tarnish your name," Emily piped up, trying to make Aria feel better. Aria smiled weakly at that news, grateful that she had such great friends even when she wasn't there with them. One thing was for sure, Aria was definitely not looking forward to running into Noel again. Just the thought made her head hurt. She would be sure to never let him around Scarlett.

The girls talked for about an hour longer before they unanimously decided that they needed sleep. Alison, Emily, and Spencer all crashed on the couches in the living room, while Aria and Hanna went upstairs to Hanna's room so Scarlett wouldn't wake up all alone. After getting situated on either side of Scarlett, Hanna turned off her lamp and stared at the dark ceiling. So much had happened in that one day, and she was certain it was one she would never forget. She was so thankful that God finally brought Aria and Scarlett back to her.

"Aria?" Hanna asked softly, careful not to wake Scarlett. She looked over and saw that Aria was looking right at her.

"Yeah, Han?" Aria asked, a small yawn escaping from her lips. Hanna smiled.

"I'm really happy you're back. I'm going to be the best Godmother I can be to Scarlett," Hanna replied. She saw Aria smile at her again before she closed her eyes and snuggled down.

"I know you will, Hanna. That's why I picked you. And, I'm glad I'm back too," Aria replied truthfully. A few minutes later, she heard Hanna's soft snores, and she left sleep take her over too. For the first time in two years, she slept peacefully because she was finally home.