Safe and Sound

"What did Mrs. Hastings just say?" I ask, turning to face Ezra.

"My mother confessed to... killing Meredith", Ezra answers.

"Why?! What is her motive for--"

"Aria, I don't think this is a conversation we should be having here".

"Ezra. That's not how it--"

"Aria, I know. I know. But I think she's trying to make everything to you".

"Why?! She wanted to have me killed a few months ago".

"I don't think that's necessarily... Aria, that's not the point! And all of your friends saw it happen?"

"Not Hanna. But she walked in right after".

I can't even focus right now. It doesn't make any sense that Ezra's mother would confess to a murder she didn't commit. Especially when she hates me-- I'd think she'd want me to rot in a cell. Something just doesn't feel right.

"We'll talk about this at home, Aria".

"Ezra, I can't go back to your apartment. I just can't. There's too much at stake".

"Aria, you're my responsibility now. It's not an argument. You're staying with me".

After the doctor comes in to look at Ezra, I walk outside the room. I feel so far gone at this point. I start roaming the halls of the hospital aimlessly. I think about everything that Meredith said. It just can't be true. "Excuse me, is there a Byron and Ella Montgomery here?" I ask a woman at the front desk. She nods and gives me the room number. I walk down the hall to the room number she gave me and brave myself before I walk in. I push the door open and see my parents both lying there. My hand quickly goes over my mouth to suppress my cries of frustration and sadness. I can't believe it. My mother is on a monitor for life support and my father is lying there in a coma.

"Aria!" I turn around and see Spencer standing in the doorway. "Come on. You shouldn't be in here. We have to go".

I walk to Spencer, emotionless and apathetic. "I should go back to Ezra anyway", I decide.

"Ezra can go home. I don't know how, but he's been approved for discharge".

Ezra and I walk into our home-- apartment 3B-- and I put the keys on the coffee table, walking to the kitchen to pour him some iced water. As I turn around to walk back to him, I notice Spencer help him onto the couch. The sound of their laughter nauseates me so much. The smiles on their faces hurts my head. I walk over and cut right between them. "Ezra, you should drink some water", I interrupt.

"Thanks, babe", he says gratefully.

I grab Spencer and pull her outside. "I need to talk to you".

"Yes?" she asks.

"Spencer, Ezra just had a traumatic experience. You being all over him the way you are isn't helping one bit".

"Aria. If this is about that stupid kiss-- it meant nothing! I'm sorry! It was a mistake. I was vulnerable and--"

"You're right. It was a mistake. If you were really my friend, you would have never done that".

"But--"

"Spencer, just stop. I can barely look at you right now. You've betrayed my trust. I don't know how I can ever trust you again". I turn on my heel and walk back inside, shutting the door behind me. I walk over to Ezra and sit next to him, holding his hand. "How are you feeling?"

He swallows hard and puts his glass down, answering, "I've been better".

"Ezra, why didn't you just stay at the hospital? You know you're not well enough to be home yet".

"The doctor said it was fine".

"Well, if you ask me, the doctor is one stupid oaf and should be fired for making a ludicrous decision like that. Only an idiot would think that's okay".

"No one is asking you for your opinion, Aria". I stare at him, clearly annoyed and hurt. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that. I sort of persuaded the doctor to let me go".

"What?! Why?!"

"So I can protect you".

"That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard". I look down and kick my shoes off.

"No it's not. We were both almost killed".

"Yeah. And you're sitting here like a beef kabob".

"Not physically, Aria. Mentally. I need to protect your mental state. You just killed someone-- that doesn't bother you?!"

I look up at Ezra and stare at him blankly. "She deserved to die". Ezra just looks at me with worry in his eyes and I get up, walking to the bathroom. Meredith is gone. There's nothing to discuss.