More thudding and loud noise. I looked around, I couldn't see anyone but that didn't mean I was right.

"Did this just get incredibly worse?" Aria questioned as I held onto her arm

"I can't believe this. Ian's dead" Emily stated

"No, Zombie don't text. Okay, he's alive somewhere." Hanna retorted. I didn't know what to believe, this was just insane

"Spence?" I ask looking for an idea.

"I have to get this phone, back home, before Melissa releases it's gone." Spencer went to leave .

"Okay, you put it back then what do we do?" Emily questions

"do we call the cops?" Aria suggested

"Yeah cause that works out so well for us, right sis?" I retort. Slapping my hand against my forehead.

"Why Ian texting Melissa?" Aria wonders

"And why is Melissa answering him." Hanna adds.

"Is she? We don't know how long this has been going on." Emily orders

"Spencer, you've gotta find out what Ian told Melissa. You're the only one who can find out what's going on." Aria panics

"And where he is." I add pine cones stat falling on the roof.

"Let's get out of here." we leave as quickly as we could. We were heading towards Spencer's house

"Let's finish this in the morning. I'm cold, damp and scared . We can talk at school." Hanna shivered

"We can't remember we're supposed to be having stupid separate time." I replied

"doctors orders." Emily sighed

"So what are we supposed to do? Not talk to each other  we're in the same classes." Hanna retorts.

"We just have to play it cool." we heard rustling and we turned

"It's Jason." Spencer stated. I grinned and ran over.

"Babe." I squealed slightly

"Rica." I hugged him, his arms automatically wrapped around my waist lifting me up. When he put me down he pushed my hair back.

"What are you doing out here so late?" he questions

"Having a secret meeting with my friends. Shh don't tell anyone." I gave him a quick kiss

"Why would you have to meet in secret and why this time of night?" he wondered lowering me back down but keeping his arms around me.

"So many questions. But if you must know, our parents are making us see a shrink who told them it's not good to be hanging out right now. Total bullshit. You didn't say you were moving back this week." I brush some of his hair away from his eyes.

"I was planning on texting you in the morning. Nice hair by the way." I grin

"Thank you." I look down at all the trash and saw that it was all the tributes that people had laid out for Ali after she went missing and after they found out she was dead.

"Ali's tributes?"

"Yeah, the other family that live here didn't have the heart to get rid of them." he groaned slightly. "I want a new beginning. With you."

"Aww, you've gone all romantic."

"Erica, we should get going." Aria comes over and I glance at her to nod then turn my attention.

"I will see you later." we kissed again having to pull away before I really got into it." Bye." I left with my sister.

--------

The next morning We all sat to have a family breakfast as if everything was normal. I kept silent and finished my food.

"I'm gonna give you guys a lift okay?"  Mom gave us a soft smile but i just glare.

"As if. Anyone up for a walk?" I huff stating up

"I'll come." Mike also stands. I look to Aria.

"I'll go with Mom." I shrug.

"Whatever, brother/ sister time then." Mike grabbed our bags and we left.

"You know you don't have to carry my bag right?"

"I know but i want to." he replies there is a moment of silence between us "So what is your latest pet peeve with our parents?"

"Well you know they're making us see this shrink?" he nodded

"Well said shrink thinks we all have a unhealthy relationship with each other. So the parents have united against us and we're having apart time." he scoffed shaking his head.

"but you're gonna ignore that right." I glance at him "You forget I know you better than Mom or Dad. You hate being told not to do something, you actually make a point to do it. Like when we were younger Dad told you not to climb that tree in the park because it was dangerous. You ignored him and climbed half the way up, stuck your tongue out at him then came down safely." I laughed remembering

"Yeah. Dad was so mad. I just was like 'so when can we get ice cream' I'm beginning to think I have trouble with authority."

"I think you do. Aria's like the peace maker you're the grenade and I don't know what  I am."

"you are the wise man." I grin

------

English class had finished, Fitz announced that he was leaving and his last day was Friday.

"Aria, can I speak to you for a moment." Fitz requested I turn to my sister.

"I'll wait outside." I left the classroom. A couple of minutes later my sister came out and we made our way to our next class.

"Hey, twinnies wait up!" Mona called to us and we stopped to face her

"So that was a bombshell isn't it. Did you see that coming, about him leaving?" Mona spoke

"No." we answered

"I was thinking we could bend some arms and get him a gift. And i thought you could pick it out." She turned to Aria.

"Why me?"

"Because you know him better...from the play." Mona answered

"Right. Uh sure. I'll pick something up." Aria agreed with a small shrug.

"Primo, I'll shake people down. I love doing that." We nodded and went to leave again.

"Um there is this thing that I wanted to talk to the both of you about." I knew what she was talking about. One word..Hanna

"Anything between you and Hanna you can't work out on your own." Aria sighed, neither of us wanted to get involved, we already had so much drama without butting in on other people's

"Can't you just say something to her?" I stop

"mona, Hanna and us aren't really hanging out right now." I told her

"Why did something happen?" She couldn't be that clueless right?

"Haven't you read the paper or watched the news?" Aria questions

"No"

"Ali's killer..." I trailed off

"Oh right, you lying to the cops."

"We didn't lie to the cops. People think we did but we didn't. So now our parents think we shouldn't hang out as much. So I'll get the gift for Mr Fitz but we can't help out with Hanna." Aria snipped before I guided away.

-----

At lunch the five of us discreetly talked  in the Lunch line. Emily told us that her hard drive had been wipe of everything.

"So the video's are gone?" Aria asked in disbelief

"Totally gone." Spencer commented

"That was our only evidence." I muttered , both shocked and annoyed at this bitch, there must be some way that we could hold onto the evidence we found, we had to get ahead of the crazy person.

"Well we don't have it anymore." Emily replied

"Has Ian sent Melissa more messages." Hanna asked as we picked out stuff to eat

"I don't know, she not leaving her phone hanging around." Spencer replies

"Erica, what about Jason? What is he doing in that house?" Emily asked me suspiciously, seriously they needed to get a life with targeting the men in mine.

"Refurbishing it. A new beginning. Looking for closure." I answer

"Okay new rule. No one can say the word closure. Ever." Hanna stated

"Dr Sullivan says it all the time." Emily replies

"i rest my case." We leave the much line. Aria and I sit down together . Hanna goes to do the same.

"Han." I sigh

"What?"

"I don't think we should sit together." Spencer mutters. As the other they stop around us

"We always sit together." she retorts

"We have to make it look like we're going along with this." Spencer adds

"Looking like we're doing it is the same thing as doing it. it means we're wrong. but we're not wrong we're right." Han insists

"Are we? We don't even really know what happened?" Aria shrugs

"How can we be sure we're right." Emily continues.

"That's even more reason to stick together." Emily and Spencer head off. Hanna goes to do so but turns and leaves the cafeteria. our phones go off.

Look at you all alone in a crowd I win! -A

I glance at my sister giving her a worrying look. We were in even more danger. A seemed to get her kicks when we were alone and not that we were forced into solitary, this would be like their birthday and christmas' all at once.

----------

I walked up the steps of the Dilaurentis' house and knocked on the door. I waited a few moments before Jason opened up.

"Hey, come in." I stepped through the door and looked around everything was either in boxes or covered up.

"You weren't kidding about the refurb." I comment before he gives me a quick kiss.

"Nope, come on I'm set up in the kitchen." He lead me through and we sat down

"Okay so what have you heard." I got straight to the point.

"About?"

"Jason, quit being evasive. I know you've heard what happened since the hospital." I click my tounge and he sighed

"Only what I've heard on the news." he continued making the coffee

"And?"

"And What?"

"You have questions right? You always have questions, you're like a quiz master or something." He placed the coffee in from of me and sat down.

"Do you have the answers. Because I figured you weren't as involved this time." he comments

"I know what the others told me." he nodded

"Okay. And what do you know without the info from the others?" I look down at my coffee then back at him.

"all I know is I got a call from Aria to get to the church. That Spencer and Ian were there and Spencer was in trouble. I couldn't get there before them and I arrived at the same time. Ian was having in the ropes of the Bell Tower, Spencer clutched onto wooden pole at the side, scared out her mind. When we left he was there but when they went in he was gone. I blacked out."

"You blacked out?" he sat forward in concern "What happened, are you okay? Why didn't you tell me?"

"I'm fine. I've just been having trouble with my blood pressure. I'm on medication to control it but I'm supposed to be taking it easy. I didn't tell you because of everything that was going on." he drags one of his hand through his hair while the other takes mine.

"I can't loose you too Rica."

"You won't." I tell him "Now how about, takeout and a movie on my laptop?" I suggest

"You can set up in my room, what do you want?"

"How about Chinese." he nods and I head up to his room, I pass by Alison's and saw the door was ajar. i push it open further. Its pink and empty. It feels so cold and lifeless.

"Ri." I look back at him.

"I remember being in here trying to sleep when you'd have your music on. Ali would tell me to ignore it but I wouldn't."

"You came banging on my door till I open up then you would tell me to turn it off before you smashed it." he remembered

"I would have you know. I saw the bat you had near your drawers." He closed the door and we made our way to his room. After having something to eat I must have fallen asleep. When I woke up Jason wasn't there. I got up and left the room.

"Jason? Jason?" I saw the door was open and I heard voices. I opened it up further.

"Spencer." I state seeing my best friend

"Erica what are you doing here?" she asks

"Here seeing my boyfriend." I reply in a duh, tone she nods

"Look I should give Erica a ride back home. Babe, grab your stuff okay. I nod and head back in. Jason already Put my laptop back. I grabbed my bag and coat then went back out.

"Ready?" i nodded. "I'll take that." i handed him my bag

"Bye Spencer." i smiled

"Yeah, bye." I got into his car and we drove off. When we got to mine I gave him a quick kiss and got out.

"Where have you been?" Mom asks

"With Jason." I went to head upstairs

"Hold it." I stopped and turned around to face my parents.I sigh and raise an eyebrow.

"We told you to never see him again." Dad states

"Well he's moved back home so i'll be seeing a lot more. Besides you've already separated me from my friends I'm not letting you take Jason as well."

"We're your parents." Mom states

"And I'm your independent minded teen. Either you ban  friends or ban my   boyfriend  I'm not gonna let you isolate me from everyone I care about." they went to speak

"This battle you won't win, I'm not backing down." I tell them before I head upstairs.

"The next evening I was relaxing in my room when my sister called. I was confused because i thought she was supposed to be with Ezra.

"Hey, I thought you were with Ezra?" I answered

"Oh he's not here yet, he's at Hollis, stuck in a meeting?" she replied sighing a little.

"How long have you been waiting?" I wonder

"Over and hour." I gave a low whistle that's why i'm calling how long should I wait?" Ri questioned me

"Why are you asking me?"

"because you're my sister and are in a long term relationship. You always seem to know what to do, what to say and how long to be waiting for something. That and you'll give it to me straight"

"Okay give it another half hour. If it he's still isn't there and he's made given no sign it's gonna be finishing anytime soon leave." she let out a sigh of relief

"Thank you." she tells me

"Happy to be of assistance call back soon." I joke ending the call. i then was left to my thought. I had my sister and Jason to get through this Emily has Samara this girls from Sheradon Prep. Spencer has Toby and Hanna has... I scroll down my contacts and hit the call button.

"hello?"

"Mona it's Erica. how fast can you get to the grill. I'm gonna help."

"With Hanna? I can be there in five."

"Cool I'll send her a text. She'll think she's meeting me but well I won't." I say

"Thank you, Erica."

"Mona, just do me a favour okay?"

"Anything."

"Don't screw up...at least not for a while okay?"

"I promise." We hang up and I sent a text to Hanna, she agreed.

Where are you - Hanna

Sorry parent's cornered me, rain check - Erica

Fine - Hanna

I then called Spencer. but she didn't answer, i tried again. Then I texted, still nothing. Something was wrong. I grabbed my jacket and sent a quick text to Aria telling her I was going to Spencer's to check on her. She said she would join me as she didn't want to wait anymore.

I got there most of the lights were off except one. And there was a broken hole in one of the window panels.

"Spence?" I called. I opened the door and stepped inside "Spence?! Spencer are you here?" I heard footsteps rushing towards me and i just caught sighting of a shadowy figure before it rammed be into a side table I screamed.

-----

"i've called the police. Everything looks alright upstairs. Are you okay?" Aria was patching me up.

"Yeah, just another day of me getting injuries. No big deal." i groan looking toward where I had been.

"Hey are you sure you're okay." Aria asked again

"I'm fine. Mom. My attitude broke the fall." I attempt to joke, but they don't find it funny. I now had one arm in a cast and another with a gash. brilliant. I put the ice pack on my back

"The fact that A can just break into our houses. Sometimes I think that's the worst part." Spencer comments getting out three glasses

"Emily said someone broke into her garage, stole some camping gear. That and her mom said theres been break ins around town" Aria told her

"What if it's not A?" Spencer suggests

"Who else could it be?" I question

"Somebody who knew what was Emily's computer. Somebody who needs camping gear and survival stuff, somebody not on the run."

"Ian?" we inquire

"We thought A wiped Emily's hard drive. That's the kind of thing A would do. But Ian is the only other person who would want those video's destroyed." Spencer explains

"Do you think that was Ian upstairs." I wince removing the ice pack. I take some of my painkillers

"I don't know. Melissa's out in the barn what would he want in the house?" She shrugs. Aria and I shared a look before turning back to our best friend

"You" the kettle begins to shriek. Spencer made us tea and the cops arrived. I explained what happened and why I was here. they took a look around and Dad came to pick us up.

"What did we say." he sighs

"Bite me." I grumble feeling tired

"Erica..." was the last thing I heard before I fell asleep. At some point I felt myself being carried inside

-----

The next day, I was off school. I was in and out of it. When I woke up I felt  someone stroking my hair. I lazily opened my eyes, through the little haze i noticed a familiar blonde crouched beside me.

"Ali?"

"Hey, danger mouse." she smiled  continuing to stroke my hair "I got here as soon as I could."

"What Happened, where's Jason?" I tried to getup but she kept me down.

"Jason's fine. He safe. I had to come see you though."

"I thought you would hate me for dating your brother. Isn't it against girl code." She chuckles taps my nose.

"Please you were the only person that could keep him in line." he face softened "You're good for him."

"What happened with Ian that night, did he kill you?"

"Do I look dead?" she retorts "No, what happened that night, didn't end with Ian but don't worry, you're getting warmer slowly."  she reaches for my meds

"Mind if I take one for the road." she dips into get one

"I have so many questions."

"Yet you have all the answers. You just have to put it together." she answers "Don't start taking no for an answer and stay with the others, you need them now more than ever. Now rest." I slowly fall back asleep.

The next time I wake up Spencer has text me for us all to meet at the green house. I was during some coffee when Spencer showed us a sonogram

"It was in the pocket of her raincoat. Her rain coat was wet and so were her boots." Spencer informed us

"She lied to you about going out?" Aria questioned looking at the sonogram

"Well she didn't go far. i checked the driveway, it was dry under her car, so it hadn't been moved."

"Who would she want to show that to?" I wonder

"I can only think of one person who would care." Hanna mutters

"Ian." Aria says

"If she didn't take the car that must mean he's close" Emily figured

"Hanna's right this is the worst time for us to be splitting up. We need to stick together" Spencer stated

"Yeah, no matter how much lying it takes agreed?" I looked to everyone who nodded. We left and walked past Jason's there were told and tarp out. i hadn't spoke to him today, For obvious reasons

"What is that?" Em wonders  a bright light hits my face.

"Jase?" I call out

"Oh, it's you."  he holds out his arm and I walk over to give him a hug.

"Yeah just us." Aria confirmed

"What are you doing?" Spencer questions

"I've been planting all day and i'm putting up a fence." he answered then kissed my head. I rested my head on his shoulder closing my eyes for a moment/

"A fence, why for what?" I ask

"For privacy, security. There's a lot of curious creeps in the world. One way or another people are gonna mind their own business." my eyes open and I move to look at him properly.

"Jase, don't be mean." I scold he sighs and kisses my head

"You girls should get going." I nod and rejoin the others. he goes inside a closes the door.

"I wonder what he's trying to keep out." Spencer wondered

"Or keep in?" aria added

"You guys, chill there is only him in that house." I roll my eyes and start walking

"how would you know?"  aria questions

"She was there the other night." Spencer answers

"Erica!" all but Spence call.

"What he's my boyfriend it's his house, we had a little date. He's refurbishing it that's all. This is not an A mystery." I told them and carried on walking