022 — father knows best

season two —
episode twenty two

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SIGHS OF PLEASURE ARE HEARD coming from Aspen's bedroom since Jason and her moved to the bedroom late last night after waking up on the couch snuggled together.

"I really should go meet the others" Aspen explains softly not wanting to disturb the peace around them.

"No" Jason groans wrapping his arms around the blonde tightly receiving a laugh from the girl who leans down and places a kiss on his lips.

"Emily needs me" Aspen voices getting out of her boyfriend's hold and puts on a coat and her shoes going to grab her car keys.

"I'll drive you" Jason states firmly holding his hand out for the blonde to hand him her car keys.

"Okay deal" Aspen smiles grabbing Bowie's leash looking at the excited puppy in Jason's arms.

"Here, let's swap" Aspen suggests gently grabbing Bowie from said males arms and placing him in hers leaving the apartment together not forgetting to lock the apartment door.

Before walking down to the carpark where Aspen's car is awaiting for them alongside Jason's.

After a five minute drive, Aspen gives Jason a goodbye kiss and a gentle pat on Bowie's little head before walking into Hanna's house seeing Emily and Hanna waiting for her.

"Em?" Aspen speaks sitting on Hanna's bed seeing Emily biting her lip worried for her girlfriend's safety.

"I'm sorry for calling you while you were with Jason" Emily quietly says.

"Em, you're family, Jason understands that and he dropped me off" Aspen explains seeing Emily nod.

Aspen shares a look with Hanna, "So, what'd they say?" Hanna questions.

"Not a lot, the police said that Maya's parents found a note, it looked like she packed a bag" Emily responds, "Do they know where she went?" Hanna wonders.

"They were asking the questions, not me" Emily huffs, "That's not fair, you're her girlfriend" Aspen states.

"Maybe, she hasn't returned any of my texts, anyways, Aspen, Hanna, I'm really tired" Emily mumbles exhaustion laced in her tone.

"Did you tell them that?" Hanna shrugs, "That I'm tired?" Emily wonders frustrated noticing Aspen crawling into Hanna's bed beside her since she doesn't want to call Jason and annoy him.

"No, about the texts, Emily every detail counts" Aspen voices looking at her cousin.

"I told them that we got into a fight and that Maya threatened to run away before she'd ever go back to boot camp, that's what she did" Emily responds taking off her shoes.

Hanna looks at Aspen seeing her laid beside her ready to sleep, "She'll call, Em, okay?" Hanna softly suggests while switching off the lamp so they three of them can sleep.

"Goodnight" Aspen hums getting a goodnight back from both Hanna and Emily before soft snores are heard coming all of them.

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GASPING AWAKE HEARING THE phone ringing downstairs seeing Hanna looking at her while ending a phone call with an annoyed look on her face.

"Breakfast?" Hanna wonders seeing Aspen looking at her mobile phone.

"I'll most likely get a coffee later on, not much of a breakfast person anymore" Aspen explains following Hanna downstairs seeing Mrs Marin in the kitchen putting their home phone on the kitchen counter.

"Good morning" Mrs Marin says, "Morning Mrs Marin, see ya Han" Aspen smiles leaving the Marin household seeing Jason waiting for her on the side of the road.

"Thanks for picking me up" Aspen voices with a smile, "Of course Asp" Jason smiles kissing her lips before handing her a coffee cup and strawberries.

"Thank you" Aspen groans in delight sipping on the cup and eating a few strawberries while Jason drives them to the high school.

"Dinner and a movie tomorrow night?" Jason suggests parking his vehicle.

"Oh yes, the father daughter dance is tomorrow night and obviously I'm an orphan so of course, a night with my spunky boyfriend sounds perfect" Aspen giggles seeing the crimson red appearing on Jason's cheeks.

"See you later, handsome" Aspen says kissing his lips quickly and meeting the others inside looking at the new text on her phone.

DO MOM AND DAD KNOW
YOU'RE WATCHING
MURDER MOVIES?
BET IT WOULD KILL
THEM TO FIND OUT.
— A

Spencer reads out the text message sharing annoyed looks with the others, "Is A talking about the N.A.T. video?" Aria wonders.

"Of course, A knows we have their cell phone" Hanna mutters, "Did you guys get that text from A?" Emily asks walking towards them from inside the school hallways.

"Yes, and now Melissa's threatening to kill our parents" Hanna states, "I already told you: Melissa can't be A" Spencer responds.

"No, Alison was getting texts from the law firm your sister interned at" Hanna states.

"Yes, but she explained that, Melissa just wanted Ali to leave Ian alone" Spencer explains, "So what? What, I got chased by a hobo for nothing?" Aria scoffs.

"That still doesn't explain why Melissa got into Garrett's car" Emily voices looking at her cousin looking at her phone watching the time tick by.

"Do you think that Garrett told her about the video? Cause if she knows that she's on it and if she's A—" Aria states.

"You guys, my sister is not A, I watched her fall apart when we found Ian's body, she had no idea that he was dead, she wouldn't just text herself from her dead husband's phone and lose it like that, could we—could we please just breathe for a second?" Spencer questions.

"No, we have video of four people who could've killed Alison, okay? They were in her bedroom the night she died, can't we get in trouble for withdrawing evidence?" Hanna exclaims.

"I think you mean withholding" Aspen mumbles looking at Hanna, "Look, Spencer's right, we've jumped the gun before, we've gone to the cops" Aria says.

"And we ended up looking guilty" Emily states, "Yeah, and they already think that we stole something from the morgue, I don't think that we should give this to them" Spencer states noticing Aspen and Hanna fidget anxiously.

"Look, I know that I'm asking a lot, but, I think that I might have a way to find out more, so, can you guys just give me a chance to get into this?" Spencer pleads.

"Okay" Aria speaks for the rest of them with a nod, "Gotta run to class, I graduate in two weeks and need all the studying time possible" Aspen responds walking into the hallway smiling at the others entering the classroom for her next class.

"There you are Aspen, could I speak to you about something?" Mrs Lockman wonders seeing the blonde girl taking a seat.

"Of course" Aspen hums gesturing to the seat beside her and grabbing out her portfolio of designs from her handbag.

"So, I understand you're graduating in the upcoming weeks but how desperate are you at getting out of this school?" Mrs Lockman quizzes seeing Aspen look at her confused.

"As of after next summer, I'm starting up my own little design shop and would love for you to join me, you're a top student of mine and I absolutely love your designs and need someone who's young and after the summer you'll be eighteen, are you possibly interested?" Mrs Lockman questions.

"Of course, I'm interested" Aspen nods with a cheerful smile seeing said teachers face brighten with the news.

"Fantastic! I'll organise some paperwork and get it to you as soon as possible so you're aware of the things happening" Mrs Lockman states seeing Aspen nod and begin sketching in her sketchbook yet another insane dress design.

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THE NEXT DAY AFTER SPENDING the night by herself for studying and knowing Bowie was safe with Jason.

Aspen walks into the Marin household once again finding herself thinking of this house as her second house at the moment.

"Uncle Wayne! Hi" Aspen smiles seeing her father's brother standing beside Emily happily greeting her with a tight hug.

"I missed you" Aspen states breaking away from the embrace smiling at Emily whose face is glowing with happiness, "I wish Mom was here too" Emily voices looking at her father.

"Well, she may have felt like a third wheel at a father daughter dance, she's got that charity run this weekend, now Sunshine, what are your plans for tonight?" Wayne wonders looking at Aspen who hums taking the cup away from her mouth.

"Quiet night with my boyfriend" Aspen answers with a blush seeing her uncle looking at her with a soft smile.

"Yeah, I'm excited to call and find out her times, usually, it's the other way around" Emily responds excitedly.

"You know, your mom's kicking herself for missing your swim team finals" Wayne voices, "Yeah, it's no big deal, well, it actually kinda was" Emily shrugs smiling.

"Well, at least you have Maya in the stands cheering for you" Wayne states noticing Aspen looking at Emily looking down sadly at the mention of her missing girlfriend.

"That's not a good look, wanna tell me what's going on?" Wayne suggests gently.

"Maya's gone, I caught her doing something that could her in a lot of trouble, instead of listening, I jumped down her throat, she said she was gonna crash with some friends in San Francisco, so—I guess that's where she is, I just wish she'd call or text me or something so I'd know for sure" Emily explains sadly.

"Her parents have no idea where she is?" Wayne asks receiving a shake of the head off Emily.

"Well, I know you would feel better if you had more information, but it sounds to me like Maya wants to stay disconnected, there's not a lot of ways that someone your age can make it to California on their own, we could check the bus station, it's cheap, it's a great way to travel under the radar—hell, I made it to Albuquerque" Wayne states.

"You ran away?" Emily chuckles seeing Aspen looking at him in shock as well.

"Aspen's father and I put your grandparents through hell, we were—uh, lost in high school" Wayne explains seeing Aspen look down sadly at the mention of her father.

"How long were you guys gone for?" Emily asks, "Oh, just a few days, long enough to scare 'em" Wayne states firmly rubbing Aspen's back gently comforting her knowing the father subject is rough for her.

"Yeah, well, if that's what Maya intended to do, it's definitely working" Emily responds glumly.

"Hey, come on, let's take a look around today, yeah? See if we can put your mind at ease—who knows? Maybe Maya decides to come home faster if she knows the people who care about her are still looking" Wayne states looking at Aspen.

"Let's do this!" Aspen confirms shocking Emily, "Spen, you don't have to do this, go spend your day with Jason" Emily suggests.

"No Em, I'm helping—plus I wanna spend some time with Uncle Wayne and you" Aspen shrugs seeing Emily nod happy with the decision.

Aspen follows behind Wayne and Emily into the bus station, "I'll see if one of the ticket agents talked to Maya" Emily suggests seeing Aspen and her dad nod in response.

Emily asks one of the security guards who points in the direction of a man who worked the night Maya went missing noticing the man shaking his head at Emily and walking away Aspen looks at her uncle with a frown.

"We're not gonna find anything here" Emily says sadly since the man doesn't want to help her, "Hold on a second, sweetie" Wayne states walking towards the man.

"Afternoon, sir" Wayne says saluting the male with his hat, "You commissioned?" Said male questions noticing the hat, "Fort Hood, Texas" Wayne confirms.

"Honorable discharge, '75, how can I help you?" the male asks, "My daughter has got some questions, a friend of hers is lost, we wanna see if we can bring her back home" Wayne explains.

"Can I see that picture again?" the man—Jim questions, Emily nods handing a picture of Maya to the said man.

"I did see your friend, bought a ticket to San Fran" Jim states.

"That's where she went" Emily mumbles, "Where she bought her ticket to" Jim voices.

"What do you mean exactly?" Aspen quizzes speaking up from beside Emily.

"Well, I saw her twice that night, once at the window, then about an hour later, I was checking a lady's bags, I saw her standing outside talking to someone in a dark colored car—blue, maybe black" Jim explains shocking Emily and Aspen.

"Could you see who was driving?" Emily questions, "Not really, I turned my back for a minute to load some bags, when I looked back, both your friend and the car were gone" Jim responds.

"Do you know if she got on the bus?" Wayne asks looking at the male, "Can't say for sure" Jim mumbles apologetically, "Great, she could be anywhere" Emily says.

"Thanks for your help, sir" Wayne voices shaking the man's hand, "My pleasure" Jim smiles grabbing his lunch.

"Enjoy your lunch" Aspen smiles walking out of the bus station with Wayne and Emily towards their vehicle.

Emily decides she wants to be alone for a while so Aspen suggests for and Wayne to go back to her apartment until the father daughter dance later on.

"You've really organised this beautifully, sunshine" Wayne smiles seeing the photos of Aspen and Emily together and all the other girls to some photos of her with her parents before their passing.

"I miss them you know? Especially dad, he and I had the best father-daughter relationship" Aspen speaks up after a while of silence.

"He'd be so proud of you, sunshine" Wayne states firmly seeing Aspen nodding while sitting on the sofa, "I have to tell you something" Wayne voices sitting beside his niece.

"Are you okay?" Aspen interrupts immediately, "I'm good, I promise but this may be the last weekend we get to spend together for a while" Wayne admits seeing Aspen deflate sadly.

"What do you mean?" Aspen asks noticing the look anywhere and the dress uniform sitting on her kitchen counter, "They're sending you back" Aspen realises with a gasp.

"Afghanistan, six months" Wayne explains seeing Aspen staring at the ground sadly, "Does Aunt Pam know and Em?" Aspen questions.

"Aunt Pam knows, Em doesn't—I'm telling her later at the dance, it's part of the reason why Aunt Pam stayed at home, to pack up the house and she wanted you, Em and I to spend some quality time together" Wayne explains wiping a tear from Aspen's cheek.

"When do you leave?" Aspen asks through a breaking voice, "I'm on the last flight out tonight, deploy out of Texas tomorrow morning" Wayne reveals stunning Aspen who gasps releasing a sob.

"Hey, come here, sunshine" Wayne demands pulling his niece into a much needed hug rubbing up and down her back, "I'm gonna miss you" Aspen cries seeing Wayne nod.

"I'm gonna miss you too, my little sunshine" Wayne weeps pushing a piece of Aspen's hair out of her face and motioning to the bathroom so he can get ready to go to the dance with Emily and break the news to her as well.

Aspen stares at the wall zoning in and out of concentration before snapping out of her staring context seeing Wayne coming out from the bathroom in his dress uniform.

"I love you, Uncle Wayne" Aspen firmly states hugging the man goodbye while he leaves the apartment to go to the school to dance with his daughter.

"I love you, possum" Wayne soothes placing a kiss to her forehead and seeing Aspen smile at the nickname her father use to use for her when he was still alive.

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ASPEN SMILES AT JASON WHEN he walks into the apartment in shock before meeting Aspen's eyes before trailing down her slim figure in nothing but her bra and panties with a robe tied loosely around her waist.

"Wow" Jason gapes blinking scared it's a dream and he'll wake up any second, "Is it too much?" Aspen questions gesturing to the outfit.

"Nope" Jason states shaking his head while putting the food on the counter top before stalking towards his prey for the night passionately meeting Aspen's lips while placing his hands on her waist underneath the thin material of the robe sucking in his breath.

"You look absolutely stunning" Jason voices smirking at the blush covering Aspen's cheeks while the two of them sit on the sofa placing the food on the small coffee table in-front of them.

"Screw the food" Aspen states straddling her boyfriend's lap passionately kisses him while gently grinding on his lap.

Jason groans at the feeling throwing his head back against the sofa looking up at Aspen smirking at his lust filled face.

"Screw the food" Jason confirms picking Aspen up from their position and going into the bedroom where their night ends with their naked bodies intertwined together with blissful moans echoing from the walls of Aspen's apartment.

Aspen hums turning her aching body around to face the sleepy male behind her running her fingers along his torso immediately bringing goosebumps onto his tanned skin.

"That was amazing" Jason whispers not wanting to talk loudly to disrupt the peace around them seeing the puppy asleep in his bed beside the queen bed.

"It was, it always is" Aspen mumbles placing a gentle kiss on Jason's bare chest before looking up at him with a lovingly gentle gaze, unaware of the things happening around them to Aspen's friends.

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THE NEXT MORNING ASPEN GROANS once again from a cellphone ringing sitting up feeling Jason's arms wrapped around her waist.

"Hello?" Aspen says groggily answering the phone before ending the phone call and springing out of bed messaging the other girls an SOS and for someone to come and get her in which Spencer automatically agrees and decides she'll pick up the rest of them as well.

"Where are you going?" Jason asks with his sleepy groggy voice Aspen loves so much.

"The police were at Spencer's last night, she just called me and needs us girls for something, I'll see you later? Sleep in" Aspen suggests leaning closer to her boyfriend kissing him and patting Bowie's head rushing out of her apartment not bothering with locking the door since Jason's there.

Aspen huffs seeing Spencer's car pulling up on the sidewalk, "We have to go to Brookhaven" Aspen states not wasting a second seeing Spencer nod confused but continues driving to the town Aspen mentioned.

Aspen looks around her surroundings when they enter the town of Brookhaven instructing Spencer to certain places.

"Wait, Spence, stop here, I think this is the block" Aspen mutters getting out of the vehicle looking around the surroundings.

"Welcome to Brookhaven" Hanna states, "What did Jonah say to you exactly?" Emily asks looking at her cousin.

"That Vivian Darkbloom's friend, Alison, was receiving texts from more than one number" Aspen explains looking around for addresses.

"Wait, so does this mean that Melissa was telling Spencer the truth?" Hanna asks, "Just means that she's getting texts from more than one number" Aspen says.

"So there was someone else, like the real A, Spence, you were right" Hanna comments, "Where exactly are we headed?" Emily questions anxiously.

"I don't know, Jonah said he couldn't find a specific address or where the texts were coming from, but that they originated somewhere in a block radius from here" Aspen explains repeating what Jonah told her earlier this morning.

"Do we have any idea what we're supposed to be looking for?" Spencer wonders, "Well, I'm looking for a new phone" Hanna shrugs.

Aspen laughs since learning that Hanna threw her phone in the kitchen sink to stop her mother from learning the truth about A.

Aria looks around noticing something beside them, "Guys" Aria speaks up motioning to the store near them.

"My god" Hanna mumbles seeing the creepy dolls in the window of the doll store.

"Those look exactly like those creepy Chucky dolls that A sent us" Emily voices in discomfort.

Aspen sighs hating those dolls since they ruined her relationship for a while, "I'm freezing" Aria stutters rubbing her arms.

"Here, you have my jacket, your little bones can't handle the cold" Aspen smirks taking off her jacket.

"I've got something in the back of my car" Spencer explains handing Aspen her car keys.

"Thanks, come on Ria, we'll swap" Aspen suggests seeing Aria nod and follow beside Aspen opening the back of Spencer's car seeing the coat Alison ordered before she died.

"Great, wanna swap?" Aspen smirks seeing Aria shaking head hugging herself with Aspen's jacket wrapped around her tightly.

"Yeah, thought so" Aspen pouts putting the red coat over her shoulders wanting to stay warm.

"Vivian?" an unknown voice questions from behind Aria and Aspen.

Aspen tilts her head with a frown noticing someone staring at Aria before sighing realising it's the wrong person.

"Not Vivian, but I am a friend of hers" Aspen states with a shrug seeing Aria gulping and the stare of the unknown guy.

"You'll be fine, go back with the girls, I'll handle him" Aspen suggests seeing Aria nod and rush towards the others.

"Sorry, I just thought that could've been Vivian" the unknown guy states seeing Aspen shrug.

"It's fine, I'm Aspen" Aspen states holding her hand out for the male to shake.

"Duncan" the male—Duncan smiles shaking Aspen's hand and giving her his number so they can catch up without him being in a rush.

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TO BE CONTINUED...

𝖊𝖑𝖘 𝖘𝖕𝖊𝖆𝖐𝖘 ⛧
more of aspen's backstory!
duncan's here
i'm aware aria deals with duncan,
but for this books sake it's aspen

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DON'T BE A SILENT READER

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