Insanity-Sparia

"Help me."

Alex kicked aside the growing pile of mail as Mary cautiously walked into the living room of the Hastings house. Spencer had dropped them off and called it a night, promising that she wasn't going to meet with Noel. Alex had been staying in the barn as to not raise suspicion about the empty house. She turned on lights in the house and ran a wash cycle in the laundry room every now and then to make it look like someone had still been living there. "Are you sure no one will come here? Neighbors to check on the place? Your friend Emily lives next door right?" Mary questioned concerned.

"Trust me, Emily isn't going to be doing any snooping. And it'll look like someone lives here again so there should be no suspicion." Alex assured. Mary nodded, the stress dying down, then suddenly stared out the window past her daughter. "Alex." She said, prompting the young woman to look where her mother's gaze went. Her eyes landed on a hooded figure standing in front of the barn, facing away from them. Alex slowly approached the door, ready to go out and confront this figure. "Alex don't. Close the shade." Mary commanded. "What if it's Noel?" She asked. "Exactly why I am telling you to get away from that door!" Mary exclaimed. Alex stepped back from the door for a moment, going over to the fire place. She grabbed the fire place poker and walked back to the door, ignoring her mother's warning and crept outside. Mary watched her daughter in fear, preparing to run out there if anyone hurt her child.

Alex slowly moved through the grass. The figure seemed preoccupied, presumably looking down at their phone. They certainly were bigger than her, but did they have a sharp fireplace poker? Besides, Alex knew Noel wouldn't be stupid enough to make a scene on the Hastings' property where his victim's house was next door. The neighbors would be extra vigilant of unusual activity, so he wouldn't try anything. Alex was still about ten feet away when the figure turned around. She braced herself to swing... then lowered her weapon, breaking into a smile before running towards the man. She wrapped her arms around Wren Kingston as he lowered his hood. The two held each other tight, having longed to have the other in their embrace for the past few weeks. Mary witnessed the scene and sighed in relief, then left the door to give them privacy.

"Wren!" Alex beamed as she held the man. "When did you get here?" She asked, stepping back and looking into his chocolate eyes. Wren smiled wide. "This afternoon. I was here earlier but no one was home. I thought you were at your mother's so I went there and... I saw Noel from your high school." Alex pulled a look of fear. "He said he was visiting a friend and must've got the apartment wrong. I didn't know how close you guys were so I didn't mention Mary; I told him you lived there and I was there to see you. He said no one was answering the door, so I left and came back here to wait." Alex would have fainted if she wasn't holding onto to her boyfriend. Did Noel break into her mother's apartment looking for her? Wren noticed his lover's distress.

     "Alex? What's going on?" The young woman was spaced out, heart pounding in her ears. She subconsciously pulled out her keys and handed them over. Wren unlocked the barn and pulled Alex inside. She walked over to the couch and slowly sat down. Wren sat beside her and cautiously put a hand on her shoulder. "Alex you're scaring me." He said. She turned to face him, tears in her eyes. She said nothing, just leaned into him and buried her head in his shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her and leaned them back into the couch. Calmed by his embrace, Alex decided to wait to disclose what was going on. She didn't think she would be able to relay the past few days without breaking down.  Wren didn't question anything, for now, and let his girlfriend fall into a comfortable sleep. What had she been through while he was gone?

     Spencer climbed the steps to her apartment. Reaching the third floor, she stopped and sighed as a small brunette stood by her apartment door. Aria noticed Spencer's visually annoyed face as she dragged herself towards the apartment. Spencer didn't have the energy for a quick line; she pulled out her keys and unlocked the door. She walked in and hung up her jacket, keeping the door open for the curious woman still standing outside. Aria cautiously walked inside and shut the door. Spencer leaned against the back of the couch and sighed. "What do you want?" She said plainly. "I'm telling Tanner everything tomorrow. I thought you should know." The tall brunette stayed silent. "If there's anything you left out, now's the time to get the whole story together." Aria looked everywhere but at Spencer, who stood quiet. Aria glanced at the tall brunette, who was staring back at her. "I've got my story together... do you?" Spencer asked. "What is that supposed to mean?" Aria questioned.

Spencer stood straight and crossed her arms. "I'm not on Tanner's radar anymore... but you are. So you better have a real good story as to how you got all this information and no evidence." Aria didn't even think of that. She was a data analyst, not a detective, and she had already been warned against making a case against Spencer with Mona being out of a job. For all Tanner knows, she was Ezra's accomplice to Alison's murder. The timing was too convenient; they wouldn't believe that she hadn't spoken to Ezra until after Alison's disappearance. She was digging herself into a hole, she didn't need Spencer to do it for her. "Listen, you want Alison's killer in jail, and we both know it's not Ezra, but it's not me either. So I think you need to start building a case against Noel before you hand Tanner a couple of stories about twin sisters and a secret twin of Jessica Dilaurentis."

     Aria nodded. As much as she hated Ezra at this moment, he didn't deserve to rot in prison, at least not for murder. He certainly deserved a spot on the Rosewood Sex Offender list though. But Noel was the one that should be in a cell right now. "Help me." She said. Spencer raised a brow. "Help me... and I'll help you. We can put Noel away in jail, for everything. The murder, disposing the body, framing Ezra. He manipulated you and Alex, Tanner will believe that." Aria stated. Spencer thought for a moment. This was exactly what she needed; a way to get rid of Noel without strangling him with her bare hands. She didn't doubt Aria's intentions, she saw what the girl was capable of. She could have sent Spencer to jail that night Alex blew their cover, but she didn't. She still could, so Spencer knew it best to stay on Aria's side. "Where do we start?"