A/N: This entire chapter is from Ezra's POV and it may or may not make sense but try to just go with it because i think i like how this chapter panned out. There's one more left after this and perhaps an epilogue and some extra chapters after that. We'll see!
"Some of us think holding on makes us strong; but sometimes it's letting go."
-Herman Hesse
Ezra
I sat silently in the car, waiting for the clock to say noon. I knew that I was supposed to be inside the courthouse already, but I couldn't bring myself to go inside. Not yet, anyways. It hurt. How could she think any of those things were true?
I even kicked Aria out. I told her to leave me alone. To let me think by myself for awhile. I think I hurt her feelings, but she wouldn't understand. She doesn't have children...and technically I didn't either, but Marley would always be my baby. My bug.
I looked over at the clock to see the time. 12:37. The battle for Marley would begin in 8 minutes. I straightened my tie and messed a little with my hair before stepping out of the car. Aria was waiting for me in the front hall with worried, puppy eyes.
"Are you okay?" she asked concerned.
"Yah, I'm fine," I managed a smile and took her hand firmly in mine, leading her into our room and sitting on the left side in the front. My family lawyer greeted me with a nod as we all took our seats. I avoided looking across the aisle. I didn't want to see that grimy bastard with my Marley. I had to win. I needed to. The judge came out and sat down, putting on her glasses and opening up a file.
Roughly two hours have passed, I was sweating like crazy and I had been on the verge of tears for awhile. Marley was taken in for questioning, and that was one of the things that scared me. She has been under Toby's influence for almost four months and all I was feeling was doubt. I wouldn't have Marley, she would never be my bug again, but I wouldn't give up without a fight. Seconds later, Marley came out from the room with the judge. She had her stuffed hippo clutched tight as she ran into Toby's arms, a pang running up my chest.
"Ezra, honey." I could feel Alison trying to shake me to wake me up. My face was buried in the pillow and I was too comfortable to even react to Alison.
"Mmm."
"Ezra, it's time." I swatted her away with my hand, tossing myself to the other side of the bed so my back was against her and she would realize that it was nothing and go back to sleep. The first few times, I was up the second she shook me, but the past few weeks had become ridiculous. She would wake me up every night and tell me that little Marley was on her way, but it ended up being a false alarm every time. I was tired, extremely tired. I just wanted to get a full night's sleep, and then I would react.
"Ali, you've said that twice this week. You're probably having more contractions." I could hear Alison breathing through her mouth, trying to stop the pain. I felt her shift to get up.
"It's real this time, Ezra. My water just broke." I jumped up, our comforter flying across the room as i scattered to gather the overnight bag and baby clothes. I wasn't even paying attention to anything else.
"Ali, get in the car. I'll be down in a second." I smiled to myself. This was my baby, and I already knew she was going to be beautiful.
I let a single tear run down my face as I remembered that night, the day she was born. The day I got to hold her in my arms. When her first word was "dada" and how Alison tried to convince me I was just hearing things and she meant "mama." I felt Aria squeeze my hand, I looked over at her and smiled. Everything in my life was at stake, except for her. I knew I could always count on her and if I did end up losing Marley, she would be there for me.
"Ezra, may we ask you a few questions?" My head perked up at the mention. What would they ask me that they didn't already know? I smiled at Aria and she simply let go of my hand, mouthing a sweet 'I believe in you' and then letting me go. They led me into a blank white room with two blue chairs.
"Do you love Marley?"
"That's my daughter. Of course i love her." A bald man nodded and the woman nodded, looking down at her notepad.
"Have you ever hit your daughter?" I furrowed my eyebrows, wondering why they would even ask.
"No."
"Not even a spanking, a slap? Nothing?'
"No. I don't believe you have to hit your kids to parent them. What is this about?"
"Have you ever sexually abused your daughter, Mr. Fitz?" My eyes widened and I raised my eyebrows.
"God, no! What is this about? I've never in my life laid a hand on Marley in my life. I'm a good father. I do everything I can to provide for her an-and, I'm a good dad." I say on the verge of tears. "I couldn't do anything to hurt her like that. Did someone tell you I did?" The two cops looked at each other.
"Mr. Cavanaugh suggested that you have hit your daughter and every time he's seen her in the past two years, she's had bruises up and down her body. Marley herself told us that her other Daddy would hit her and sometimes he wouldn't stop. Because of that, we have probable cause to think that maybe you sexually abused her too." I couldnt believe my ears. I couldn't imagine ever even yelling at Marley, let alone hitting her and abusing her sexually.
"This is utterly ridiculous. Ask Alison, she'll tell you. I never hit Marley, and never did I touch her inappropriately. Toby didn't know what her name was until he met her almost 5 months ago. I promise, I do everything I can to protect her. Toby is a pot head who doesnt know how to take care of a child. I have a home and a stable life. I can give her everything she needs. I-I I love my daughter more than anything. I never abused her. You won't see a bruise on her body if you looked." I was a mess. I was sobbing and I could hardly believe the accusations that were put on me.
"Thank you for your time, Mr. Fitz, you made a very compelling argument.." The officer rolled her eyes. She didn't believe me. I just lost my daughter forever because he forced her to tell the police that I was a bad dad and she didn't want to be around me anymore.
I sat in that room for an extra 10 minutes with the hefty bald cop, crying. I lost my daughter, and there was nothing I could do to change the fact that she hated me, and she would hate me forever.
30 minutes later, I exited the court room with just Aria by my side. My face was red and blotchy from crying after losing my case and my daughter.
An hour later, Aria and I cried. She couldn't be the strong one forever. I cried for Marley. She cried because she thought she failed me.
A day later, Aria and I didn't leave bed. She kissed me and hugged me, she kept promising that life would go on and I would see Marley again one day.
1 week later, I was starting to feel better. My head cleared up and i could ship Marley's things back to Toby without wanting to cry. I realized if Marley was happy, I would learn to be okay with it. As a father, I want what is best for her.
3 weeks later, I would think about Marley often, but I wouldn't get sad.
4 months later, Toby and I came to an agreement that I could see Marley, but not alone and we would have to set something up prior. He would also send me yearly photos of her, I wasn't okay with it but I took whatever interaction I could to still be a part of her life.
One Year Later
I toyed with the box in my pocket as I waited for Aria to get ready for dinner. My heart was beating a thousand miles per minute. I had my lawyer go down to the prison after the trial and make Alison sign the divorce papers. It was surreal, not being married and not having any drama in our lives. Everything was over, and we were starting a new chapter, with a new character. Aria had found out she was 2 months pregnant and we were both extremely excited. Marley would always be my daughter, but this was my first biological child, and with Aria, too. I heard her heels click from behind me and I turned around.
"Don't you look fancy." She smiled brightly.
"Only for the best." I leaned in to kiss her and then i felt my phone buzz in my pocket. I had just got a job at a new publishing company just outside of Rosewood so I had just assumed that it was my boss giving me some work to do for tomorrow. I was wrong. The call was coming from Pennsylvania State Prison, where Alison was staying. I gave Aria a look, hinting at her to glance at the caller I.D.
"Answer it." she nudged me, so I could I accepted the call and the automated message telling me that a prisoner was trying to get a hold of me.
"Ezra?" Alison's voice rung through the phone. My heart was beating 20 times harder than it was earlier.
"Hey, Alison." I wanted the conversation to end as soon as it started. She had already ruined my life and wasted 7 years of it. I refused to let her in again.
"I was wondering if you and Aria could come visit me. I have a lot of tell you guys and..I couldn't live with myself if i didn't tell you two face to face. I know I may be asking for a lot and it's okay if you don't want to ever see me again. I really don't blame you. I really hope you do." I covered the phone with my hand.
"She wants us to come visit her, she has something to tell us. Should we go?" Aria bit her lip.
"Do you think she knows about the baby?" She sounded nervous. There wasn't anything Alison could do to hurt us anymore and Jason fled the country a long time ago, she really had nothing to worry about. I shook my head at her so she shrugged. "I trust you, so if you think it's safe, we can go." I sighed, coming back to the phone.
"Yeah, Ali. We'll come."
We never ended up going due to Aria deciding it may not have been a good idea. We got a letter in the mail a week after Alison's suicide was announced.
We agreed not to look at it for the time being so we could focus on finally being happy. Despite everything that we had been through in the last 7 years, we were finally at a standstill. A ceasefire, so to speak. It was bittersweet, I had my Aria, but I lost my Marley.
But all I can do is keep hope and believe in the words Aria spoke to me, "You'll see her again, one day."
And one day, I would.
But for now, I needed to focus on our new little creation growing inside the love of my life. Everything was on track again.
A/N: SO MANY MANY APOLOGIES TO EVERYONE WHO LOVED THIS FANFIC AND READ EVERY UPDATE AND WAS FORCED TO WAIT ALL THIS TIME FOR THIS UPDATE!!
SKYLER AND I HAVE BEEN SO EXTREMELY BUSY, AND LIKE I SAID BEFORE WE NEEDED TO RENEW OUR INSPIRATION FOR THIS SO WE COULD DO IT JUSTICE AND END IT THE WAY WE STARTED IT!!!
AGAIN. GUYS. IM SO SORRY IT TOOK THIS LONG! OUR HIATUS WAS WAY LONGER THAN WE WANTED IT TO BE, BUT NOW WE KNOW EXACTLY HOW WE INTEND TO END IT AND THERE WILL BE 2 MORE PARTS! ONE MORE CHAPTER, AND AN EPILOGUE!
*YES, ALISON IS FINALLY DEAD AND GONE.
*YES, IT WAS CONFUSING.
*YES, WE WILL EXPLAIN ALL IN THE NEXT 2 PARTS.
*YES, IT IS ABOUT TO GET 100 TIMES CRAZIER.
THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING A PART OF THIS WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE!!
READ, REVIEW, VOTE, COMMENT!
MUCH LOVE,
Marissa