029 — birds of a feather

season three —
episode four

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ASPEN SITS ON THE TABLE at the grille helping Spencer and Hanna finish off the cake they ordered for dessert, "Do we really believe that Jenna was off on a joyride that night?" Aria wonders.

"Or it was her plan to take Emily to Ali's grave all along" Spencer responds, "Seemed to me like she was scared of someone" Emily voices.

"And it seemed like she was blind for five months when she wasn't" Aspen states firmly.

"For purposes of my head not exploding, could we just say that she is telling the truth?" Hanna suggests.

"Well, that would mean that we would cross her off the new A list" Spencer explains, "Then who's still on it?" Aria quizzes.

"Lucas?" Emily questions with a shrug, "No way, he might be a little unhinged lately, but he's not capable of digging up a grave" Hanna mutters firmly.

"Guys, all roads lead back to the black swan, we know that she was working with Mona, the sketches were in her lair" Spencer states.

"Spencer, mom wants to know if you want anything else" Melissa exclaims from the reception desk for ordering food.

"Uh, no, thank you, mom" Spencer responds with a smile, "Melissa looks great" Emily voices.

"Yeah, she's back to being size too skinny" Hanna whispers seeing everyone except for Aspen looking at her confused.

"Black swan skinny? Think about it, we know that she lied about when she lost her baby" Hanna mumbles.

"Whoa, back up" Spencer snaps lowly, "You think that she was pretending to be pregnant for that long? That's, like, months" Aria voices shocked.

"No, there's no way, she wouldn't do that to my parents" Spencer responds shaking her head, "Who else could it be?" Emily quizzes.

"Mona started talking again, so maybe she can give me some answers" Hanna suggests looking at the entrance wide eyed seeing a certain someone storming into the restaurant.

"Spenny, pretty boy alert" Hanna firmly states motioning to Jason walking into the Grille angrily.

"Did you really think you could avoid me forever?" Jason snarls while Aspen stands up placing her hands on Jason's chest trying to calm him down.

"How could you defend Garrett?" Jason questions, "Calm down, Jace" Aspen begs not looking at Melissa or Mrs Hastings and concentrating on her pissed off boyfriend.

"Let's not have this conversation here" Mrs Hastings states, "Oh, it doesn't bother you that he murdered my sister?" Jason snarls looking at the woman.

"Look, I understand you're upset, but this isn't the place" Mrs Hastings pleads.

"Just tell me why you're doing it" Jason asks demanding an answer from the woman, "Everyone deserves a competent legal defence" Mrs Hastings responds.

"You sure that's the only reason?" Jason mocks looking over at Melissa standing beside her mother.

"Let the process play out, Jason, focus on taking care of your family, your girlfriend and yourself" Mrs Hastings voices motioning to Aspen grabbing her things off the table knowing Jason's about to storm off.

"Don't worry, I am" Jason mutters with a low scoff turning and storming out of the restaurant.

Aspen doesn't hesitate and runs after him wanting to make sure his okay as well as Spencer who runs out after the males girlfriend.

"Jason? Are you okay?" Spencer questions while Aspen stops and sees him sticking a poster on the pole in-front of the stairs leading towards her apartment.

"No, but I will be" Jason snaps walking off and stopping facing Aspen who's looking at the poster on the pole stating his willing to give out $50,000 as a reward for Alison's missing remains.

Aspen flinches hearing her phone ding with a text message.

IMAGINE WHAT I
COULD DO
WITH 50 GRAND
— A

Aspen scoffs reading the message looking at the others before Hanna motions her head towards Jason standing holding his hand out for Aspen to grab.

Aspen grabs his hand and gets led to his vehicle seeing the way his jaw is clenching in anger, "Did you know?" Jason questions.

"I did—and I was going to tell you, I promise, I just didn't know how, I'm sorry" Aspen sighs seeing Jason look over at her fidgeting nervously.

"Don't apologise, you're not the one fighting for his freedom" Jason snarls grabbing Aspen's hand gently and lacing his fingers with hers.

Before starting his car's ignition and driving them to his house knowing Bowie's there waiting already.

"This reward is a really bad idea Jace, but I won't hold you back from doing what you think is best" Aspen voices sucking in a breath.

Seeing Jason glare at her for a moment before nodding in appreciation hearing she won't stop him from trying to find his sister's remains.

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THE NEXT DAY ASPEN WAKES to an empty bed and Bowie sleeping at her feet.

"Jace?" Aspen calls out walking around the house looking for Jason in just his white long t-shirt she found on the floor beside the bed.

"In here" Jason responds walking into the living room noticing Aspen's figure just wearing his shirt.

"What a sight to wake up too" Jason smiles, "Well technically, you didn't wake up to this sight as you left me in bed—all alone" Aspen pouts looking at her boyfriends green eyes.

"I'm sorry about that—I had to answer a call" Jason explains handing Aspen a cold glass of water he knows she loves so much.

"Just lately I haven't been waking up with you in bed, makes me question things" Aspen admits anxiously.

Jason sighs hearing his phone vibrating with another phone call pecking Aspen's lips and walking away answering the said call leaving Aspen biting her bottom lip sadly.

After showering and doing her skincare, Aspen walks out of the bathroom towards her phone seeing some missed text messages from the girls making sure she's okay and hearing Jason on yet another phone call.

Aspen sighs sadly before walking out of the house texting a farewell to her boyfriend knowing he'll ignore her if she pops her head in to say goodbye.

Bowie barks happily seeing the outside while being on his lead since Aspen decided she'll take him today to spend some time together since his been spending most of his days and nights with Jason.

Aspen knocks on the Marin's door seeing Ashley smiling at her once she opens it, "Oh hi, Aspen" Ashley greets.

"Hey Mrs Marin" Aspen responds with a smile lifting Bowie and placing him on the ground leading into the kitchen.

"Hey, girls, Aspen's here" Ashley states walking into the kitchen noticing Aria and Hanna closing Hanna's laptop quickly.

"Hi" Aspen greets while Bowie wags his tail greeting Hanna and Aria happily.

"Okay, what don't you want me to see?" Ashley questions, "Nothing" Hanna responds seeing Aspen looking at the two of them confused.

"No more secrets, remember?" Ashley firmly voices, Aria sighs opening the laptop showing them bald men online.

"What the—" Aspen chuckles noticing Ashley's concerned face, "Should I be worried?" Ashley questions.

"I'm trying to find a guy for my mom" Aria explains, "Yeah, preferably someone who doesn't look like a grape" Hanna groans in disgust seeing the photos on the screen.

"He's cute, sort of" Ashley shrugs receiving disgusted looks from all three girls, "Mom, he has a unibrow" Hanna exclaims grossed out.

"Tell your mom to use mainlinemate, it's a much better site" Ashley explains which a shrug leaving the three best friends together.

Aria shrugs typing in the website with a small smile while Aspen sighs seeing Jason's text message.

I LOVE YOU AND I'M SORRY
I HAVEN'T BEEN SPENDING
A LOT OF TIME WITH
YOU LATELY
— JASON

Hanna frowns hearing the sigh Aspen released, "Okay, what's going on?" Hanna questions confused.

"Just Jason and this reward—and me not waking up with him in bed every single morning" Aspen vents with a pout.

Hanna and Aria both look at the young woman in sympathy, "Like I understand his sister's remains are missing but he hasn't even properly kissed me since last night" Aspen explains placing her hand on her cheek and groaning leaning forwards.

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SPENCER WAITS OUTSIDE THE classroom seeing Jason inside farewelling his group.

"All right, see you next week" Jason states walking out of the classroom looking around for his girlfriend since Mrs Lockman's classroom is down the hall seeing Spencer waving at him.

"Hey, Jason" Spencer greets, "Hey" Jason responds, "How's it going?" Spencer questions.

"I've been better" Jason admits seeing the lack of responses from Aspen on his mobile.

"Got any calls on the flyer yet?" Spencer wonders curiously, "Your mom send you here to ask me that?" Jason questions.

"Jason, you are upset, I want to make sure that you're okay" Spencer voices with sympathy.

"Nothing solid to go on just yet" Jason responds still looking around the hallways for Aspen.

"Aspen's not here and maybe you should withdraw the reward, just let the police handle this" Spencer states.

"Why? Because they handled Ali's murder case so well? And Asp's not here? Where is she?" Jason quizzes with a frown.

"No, because you don't need to be fielding calls from every crackpot in town who's just looking for money, and I don't know where Aspen is—she was really upset this morning though" Spencer admits seeing Jason look at the ground hearing Aspen was upset this morning.

"Look, all I need is one to tell me the truth" Jason responds while his phone vibrates in his hand.

"How are you gonna kvow if they're for real or if they just want a reward?" Spencer wonders.

"I can tell when someone's lying, can you?" Jason asks with a slight taunt in his voice, "What is that supposed to mean?" Spencer asks.

"Why do you think your mom took this case?" Jason curiously wonders.

"Cause she has a reason to believe that Garrett's innocent" Spencer shrugs, "Or maybe she just doesn't want to see the precious Hastings name get tarnished" Jason mocks.

"You think that she's trying to protect someone?" Spencer utters, "I think your mom has an agenda that has nothing to do with criminal defence" Jason states looking at his phone that's continuously buzzing in his hand.

"Are you talking about Melissa?" Spencer questions, "I gotta take this, if you hear or see Aspen, tell her to call me please" Jason demands turning around and answering the phone.

"Yeah?" Jason voices walking away from the Hastings brunette.

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AFTER WALLOWING IN SELF pity for a while Aspen stands behind Aria seeing her filling out a profile for Ella.

"Gourmet chef?" Hanna scoffs reading from the about section, "What? She is in my house" Aria shrugs adding another activity onto the profile.

"Athletic? All right, does your mom even own a pair of sneakers?" Aspen questions.

"Okay, everybody exaggerates on this thing, I read it in cosmo, both of you sit down and help me figure out a username" Aria demands.

"Um—oh! How 'bout 'Rosewoodgirl?'" Aria exclaims, "Lame" Hanna voices, "'Artlover?'" Aria questions, "Boring" Aspen hums.

Hanna smirks at Aspen and leans forward, "I got one, 'Hotmama'" Hanna voices shocking Aria.

"'Hotmama?'" Aria repeats, "Mm-hmm" Aspen hums with a smile, "I'm trying to get my mom a date with a man, not a frat boy" Aria states annoyed.

"Trust me, Aria, this is going to work" Hanna states leaning over Aria and typing in the username 'Hotmamma' receiving a grimace off Aria once done.

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ASPEN SITS ON THE SOFA in Spencer's house being filled in on what happened while Hanna was at Radley trying to see Mona.

"He was there with a court order to talk to her" Hanna explains, "So what do you think Mona said to Wilden?" Emily questions.

"If she knows that we were at Ali's grave that night" Aria voices, "We would be in jail right now" Aspen finishes her sentence patting Bowie's head on her lap.

"You guys, we need to find out who the black swan is, like, now" Hanna states firmly.

"I think we need to find out when Melissa lost her baby" Aria mutters.

"Yeah, she's right, Spence, Melissa lied for a reason, we need to find out what it is" Emily states.

"Yeah, but we know why Mona hated us, why would my sister wanna torture us?" Spencer questions.

"Because she probably hates me for outing her late husband for raping me" Aspen voices with a sigh.

"Because you made out with her fiance and broke up their engagement" Hanna exclaims, "Okay, yeah, but that was me" Spencer shrugs.

"And she knows that we have the video that puts her in Ali's room the night that she was murdered" Aria states.

"And she fits the costume" Hanna mutters while Spencer grabs the spare set of keys.

"We're going to Philly" Spencer states holding up the keys.

"Just wait for me, I have to drop Bowie off at Jason's and god knows how that'll go" Aspen voices with a sigh.

Walking out of the Hastings manor towards the DiLaurentis house seeing Jason's vehicle parked outside.

Aspen knocks on the front door standing there for a moment before Jason answers the door confused at why she's knocking since she has a key.

"Sorry—I didn't know if you were home, I have to go to Philadelphia with the girls, am I able to leave him here with you?" Aspen questions gesturing to Bowie.

"Yeah that's fine" Jason confirms while Aspen nods and turns around rushing towards her vehicle since they agreed to take two cars—Spencer's and hers.

Hanna looks at Aspen sitting in the drivers seat avoiding looking back since Jason's stood on the patio watching their vehicles leave the Hastings.

"You okay?" Hanna questions snapping Aspen out of her zone.

"Sure, let's get this over and done with" Aspen sighs driving to Philadelphia singing along to the mix Jason and her made on their drive to the beach shore over the summer.

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ONCE ARRIVING OUTSIDE OF Melissa's apartment awaiting patiently for Spencer's text.

Aspen looks up hearing Melissa leaving the building to go meet up with Spencer.

"Hello?" Spencer answers Hanna's phone call almost immediately.

"Hey, Melissa just left, should we go in?" Hanna questions, "No, just wait, I'll text you when she gets here" Spencer responds.

"All right, roger that" Hanna states with a nod, "'Roger that?'" Aria repeats.

"What? We're on a mission" Hanna responds with a shrug awaiting for Spencer's text message as a sign of go.

Twenty minutes later Aspen groans in pain feeling her head pounding from god knows what and waiting around for Spencer's text message.

"All right, you guys, it's been 20 minutes, we should just go in" Hanna sighs, "Spencer hasn't texted yet" Emily responds.

"She will any minute, let's find out when she lost that baby" Aria states walking into the building and unlocking Melissa's apartment standing at the entrance confused.

"What exactly are we looking for?" Emily questions, "Medical records, anything with a date on it" Hanna explains going through some of the belongings on the desk.

"I'm gonna go check the bedroom" Aria states, "Same" Aspen voices walking into the bedroom with Aria looking around and finding absolutely nothing.

"Okay, there's nothing in the bedroom" Aspen explains, "Is this anything?" Hanna wonders passing Aria a slip over paper.

"Yeah, her car insurance" Aria responds putting the paper back on the desk.

"Melissa bought a pair of Chloe boots from saks last week for 900 bucks" Emily states reading off a receipt she found.

"Okay, now those I wanna see" Aspen states, "I wanna find her fake baby bump" Hanna says receiving grimaces from Aria, Aspen and Emily in response.

"What? Aren't you curious? It has to be here somewhere" Hanna states firmly.

"Gross" Aspen grimaces walking over to the closet beside Hanna seeing the way Melissa's organised everything.

"Oh, my god, she's even more anal than Spencer" Hanna voices, "I didn't even think that was possible" Emily says while Aspen moves the clothes out of the way seeing the shows organised as well.

"And, yet it is" Aria mutters shocked, "Oh, my god" Emily exclaims loudly, "What?" Hanna asks.

"It's Melissa!" Emily responds quickly packing up the objects and putting them where they were previously.

"Where?" Aria asks confused, "Outside, put everything back" Emily demands, "What do we do?" Aria asks alarmed.

"Put everything back where you found it" Emily repeats packing the papers back into the drawers.

Hanna accidentally knocks over a bowl of paperclips, "Dammit!" Hanna exclaims.

"Hanna" Aria mumbles quickly picking up the clips and placing them back where they belong and getting into the closet praying that Melissa doesn't find them in her apartment.

Aspen exhales hearing the door unlock and Melissa walk into the room looking around for something.

Aspen closes her eyes while Melissa moves the clothes out of the way finding out what she was looking for and leaving once again.

"That was close" Aria whispers, "Yeah, way too close" Hanna agrees.

"Okay, let's just get out of here" Aria suggests not wanting to go through another close call like that one.

"We need to hang these up" Emily states motioning to the knocked down clothes on the floor.

"Wait, you guys, look" Aspen voices gesturing to the costume bag in Melissa's closet.

Aria opens the protective covering revealing absolutely nothing inside only for Aria to notice something sitting on the bottom.

"Wait" Aria voices grabbing a dark blue feather from the bag showing the others who look at the item wide eyed.

Once the four of them arrive back in Rosewood, they meet up with Spencer at Aspen's apartment.

"It matches the one Hanna found at the masquerade ball" Aria explains placing the two feathers together on the sofa.

"You know what they say, if the feather fits" Hanna mumbles, "Hanna, it's the shoe, if the shoe fits" Aria voices.

"Whatever, Melissa's A" Aspen mutters, "Guys, I know that she looks suspicious, okay, but we're still just guessing" Spencer responds.

"Well it's a guess I'm willing to take" Hanna snaps, "Me too" Aria responds while Aspen looks at Spencer with a nod agreeing with the other two.

"Fine, I'll go back to Philly" Spencer sighs, "Mm-mmm, you're not going alone" Aria states firmly.

"If Melissa is who we think she is, then she's dangerous" Aspen mumbles.

"Like, 'probably had something to do with Ali's murder' dangerous" Aria says.

"Look, she's not just trying to hurt you, Spence, she's after all of us" Hanna voices.

"Well, Em gets off at 8:00, so pick her up, and then we'll all go together" Spencer suggests receiving nods from the three of them.

After finding nothing in Philadelphia once again, Aspen walks into her apartment tiredly seeing a figure sitting on her sofa looking at her.

"Fuck! Jason, you scared me" Aspen sighs, "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you—I just thought we could chat?" Jason suggests patting the sofa.

Aspen frowns noticing that Bowie's not here, "Wait, where's my dog?" Aspen wonders scared.

"Gabby has him" Jason explains with a sigh, "What why?" Aspen questions panicked.

"Because you and I need someone time alone" Jason states grabbing his keys from the bench and leading her out of the apartment and to his car so they can spend the night at his house.

Jason leads Aspen into his house holding his palms over her eyes and revealing the dinner he made for the both of them.

"I think I owe you an apology, I haven't been the best boyfriend and the reward has been a little bit of chaos as well, so I made us dinner" Jason voices.

Aspen smiles with a blush on her cheeks looking at the home-cooked meal of spaghetti on the large dining table.

"Princess treatment for the night, so here you go darling" Jason smiles pulling out her seat and gesturing for her to sit down.

Aspen giggles sitting down and digging into her meal once Jason sits down beside her and digging into his own seeing the sparkle back in her arms when she's looking at him again.

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AFTER THEIR DINNER, Aspen puts on one of their favourite movies cuddling into Jason's side.

Aspen sits up seeing the text message from Hanna, "Jace, I need to go" Aspen states panicked showing Jason the message as an explanation.

"I'll drop you" Jason states seeing Aspen nod at him and rush out of the house with Jason following after her.

"I'm so sorry for this baby, I'll text you though?" Aspen questions once Jason parks outside Hanna's house.

"Wish Hanna the best for me okay? I love you Asp" Jason mumbles while Aspen bends down pecking his lips from his window.

"I love you, Jace" Aspen confirms rushing into the Marin household up into Hanna's room seeing her sobbing in her bed.

"I'm here" Aspen soothes letting Hanna use her as a pillow for the next few hours just sobbing and sniffling due to the break up with Caleb.

"Sorry if I pulled you away from Jason" Hanna weakly mumbles with a sniffle.

"Shush, nonsense, you and the rest of the girls come first always, plus he dropped me here" Aspen explains lowly running her fingertips along Hanna's hairline comforting the heartbroken girl.

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JASON LEANS AGAINST THE pilar of his patio seeing Spencer walking past towards her house.

"Out for an evening stroll?" Jason wonders, "I'm just trying to clear my head" Spencer responds.

"Rough night?" Jason questions, "Rough two years" Spencer firmly corrects sitting beside him on the steps of his house.

"I've received over 200 calls in the last few days all swearing they know who stole Ali's remains, everyone's being accused from Mrs. Welch to Obama to you or Asp, but it's all just lies" Jason states.

"You have no idea how much I'm looking forward to going to college next year, getting out of this place, al these dysfunctional people" Spencer sighs.

"Yeah, sounds good, doesn't it? Well, unfortunately, it doesn't work that way, trust me, you can leave Rosewood, but Rosewood will never leave you, especially when the person you're in love with is here" Jason responds smiling at Spencer.

"You really love her don't you?" Spencer mumbles, "I'd let the world burn for her Spence, she's the one for me" Jason admits looking at his phone that chimes.

"I've got to, uh—I gotta do a few things, driving up to meet my parents in the morning" Jason explains, "Does Spenny know?" Spencer questions noticing she's not here.

"She doesn't—but she's with Hanna at the moment and I don't wanna break the news to her yet" Jason admits looking at his half sister.

"Make sure you say goodbye to her Jason, she'll be heartbroken if you don't, and tell your parents I say hi" Spencer responds getting up from the steps smiling at the male.

"Spencer, I'm withdrawing the reward, Asp and you were right, it's too much for me and it was ruining Aspen and I's relationship" Jason states.

"Truth always comes out, Jason, one way or another" Spencer explains with a nod walking away from the DiLaurentis house.

"Yeah, meet me in the parking lot in 15 minutes and don't ever threaten Aspen again" Jason orders ending the phone call pulling out his cheque book and writing out the reward money.

Jason's phone chimes with another text message from Aspen

SHE'S ASLEEP BUT
SHE'S SO HEARTBROKEN
HER MOMS HOME
NOW THOUGH
PICK ME UP?
— ASPEN

Jason lights up at the last bit of the text message seeing she wants to be picked up.

THAT SUCKS, I'LL PICK YOU
UP IN 25 MINUTES,
IS THAT OKAY?
— JASON

Jason watches as the bubbles appear on the phone signalling his girls replying.

SEE YOU THEN
HANDSOME
— ASPEN

Jason chuckles under his breath getting in his car and driving to the parking lot and doing is business there before driving to Hanna's house noticing Aspen waiting outside on the curb for her boyfriend's car.

"Thanks for coming to pick me up so late" Aspen says with a smile, "Anytime darling" Jason responds driving back to his house and leading the blonde girl into his bedroom.

"I've gotta go meet my parents tomorrow, did you wanna come?" Jason questions laid beside the girl of his dreams.

"I would love too, but I probably should stay here and make sure Hanna's okay" Aspen explains seeing Jason smile at what she just said.

"Of course" Jason nods pecking Aspen's shoulder blade and tightening his arms around her bare waistline.

"But tell Jessica and Kenneth I say hello" Aspen moans in pleasure feeling Jason's lips exploring her neckline.

"That feels nice" Aspen mumbles turning her neck for him to gain more access.

"Goodnight, baby" Jason mumbles pecking her ear and tightening his arms around her again.

"Goodnight, babe" Aspen yawns allowing sleep to overtake her muscles in her boyfriend's muscular arms.

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TO BE CONTINUED...