Author: Emme (falendoyle)
Rating: PG to NC-17

Disclaimer: The characters in this story belong to The-N. Some are mine (i.e. Maddelena, Siena May)

Pairing: Spencer and Ashley… eventually.

Note: Thank you so much and I hope you like it. Feedback equals more and quicker chapters. Tell me what you think, ideas, and anything else. Thank you!

Summary: After prom night, Spencer leaves Los Angeles, only to return five years later to a place unfamiliar and bitter to her.

Feedback: Tell me what you think and any suggestions of where I can take this. This makes me want to right more and even quicker. I can update multiple times a day…it just depends on how much you feed me.

Chapter One
When Doves Cry

Spencer turned off the ignition as she parked the car in a free spot in front of the familiar house that she used to call 'home'. She let the radio linger on as the song was reaching its climax. Any other song by any other artist, she would have turned. This song captivated her, the music and lyrics held onto her as the voice sang melodiously into her ears.

It is funny how you can hear a song so many times and not have a care in the world about it. . It's weird, like when you're in love, all of sudden it feels like you're hearing these love songs for the first time, like the singer is suddenly just talking to you alone, reading your mind... and when you're grieving it's the same thing. You're in tune with all the sadness of the universe. These songs find you, like they were only meant for you. Over the last five years, this was how it felt for Spencer. She would suddenly hear a song, a phrase, a poem, and stop in her tracks. She would listen, and she would feel the past coming alive in her head for those short three minutes. Of course, the song will end, like all of it had ended, and she would return to her tedious life.

The song ended in soft lyrical bliss and Spencer came back to reality. She took a deep breath to pull together herself and opened the car door. She reached down and lifted the seat forward so she could get the contents that were resting in her back seat. Spencer easily unbuckled the sleeping six month old girl from her car seat and lifted her out. Spencer grabbed a light green bag that was sitting next to the car seat. On top of it rested a tomato red Mei Tai baby carrier with a floral design in the middle. She took it and threw it over her shoulder to use a little latter. She held the sleeping child in her hands as she got out of the car.

She closed the door to her red 1967 Ford Mustang and turned toward the house with the small child in her arms. She slowly made her way up the concrete path to the wooden door of her old high school home. With her free hand she softly knocked on the door and took a step back. She turned toward the street and surveyed her surroundings. In the last five years, nothing had change much. There were more flowers in the garden and a couple toys laying in the yard. From that, nothing was different. There was three extra cars in the drive way, she had no clue who's they were. No one knew she was coming, no one would suspect it.

In the last five years, Spencer hadn't talked to her family over three times. One was to announce Clay's daughter being born, the second was to have a family vacation in France (which she denied to go due to certain circumstances being born), and lastly was to tell her that Clay and Chelsea was getting married. She had refused to come to the wedding, but her conscience got a hold of her and here she was; standing in front of her old home. Sean played a part in it also. He had convinced her to come.

Spencer let a small smile curl onto her pink lips as she thought about the dark skinned man. He had been her brother's best friend, never loosing contact with him. He also had gotten close to Spencer after she had gotten shot. When Clay wasn't there to look after his little sister, Sean was. They had gotten even closer when Sean had found Spencer in Louisville. She had run there to get away from all the chaos in Los Angeles. He had quickly gained her trust and became her shoulder to lean on. He never told anyone where she was. He was the best friend she could have in the time of need. We got too close, Spencer thought while looking down at the small child sleeping against her chest.

Spencer got pulled away from her thoughts when she heard the door open and a surprised "Spencer" being said by her father. Putting an excited on her face, Spencer turned around to see her father. He looked the same as he had before she left, spare a couple gray hairs. He had a huge smile on his face and his eyes where large with surprise.

"Daddy!" Spencer said hugging her father tightly. She never would have suspected the excitement that had felled her body by seeing her father. Given that it was five years since she had seen the man that had taught her so many different things, and had been a wonderful father to her, she should be excited.

"Spencer, it is so wonderful to have you home." Arthur said to his daughter, tears whelming in his eyes. Spencer's body began to calm by hearing the therapeutic voice of her father's.

A loud, piercing cry broke the small reunion apart when the small forgotten child made herself known. Arthur pulled apart shocked at the child Spencer was holding. Spencer patted the child's back, whispering 'mommy's sorry' in a soft, healing voice. Arthur watched the scene unfold in front of him with wide eyes. Things have truly changed. Spencer was patting the beautiful little girl's back. He noticed the similarities and differences between the two. The little girl had pale golden honey colored skin with big, cocoa eyes. She had curly reddish brown hair pulled together into a small pony by a red ribbon. She had Spencer's face. The only thing that would tell her apart from Spencer's baby pictures was her slightly darker skin.

"Arthur, who is at the door?" The curious voice of Paula said coming to the door.

She stopped dead in her tracks as she saw her daughter meet her blue eyes. Her breath caught with surprise and a smile came onto her face, "Spencer!"

Spencer turned her attention to her parents, "Hello, I thought, you know, I would…" Her voice trailed off.
Paula nodded her head, "Of course, of course. Spencer, it is so great to see my daughter home. Are you here for the wedding? Are you here for good? Where are you gonna stay? Here?" Paula asked bombarding her daughter with eager questions.

Arthur put a hand on his excited wife's shoulder, "Hun, she just got in. Let's have her come in and see everybody before she answers any questions."

Spencer smiled at her father and followed him through the door. He led her to the living room. She gave her awake daughter her attention as she walked the steps she had memorized. She pulled down the little girl's light green cotton dress. She was surprised the dark brown colored Ugg boots where still on her feet. She placed a gentle kiss on her daughter's head before turning her attention back to her father.

"…we are in the middle of a celebration." She heard him finished when she noticed several people in the dinning room staring at her with wide eyes.

Her breath caught, not expecting to face everyone at once. She mechanically sat down her stuff and took a seat on the couch with the little child in her lap, leaning against her chest. The smile she was once wearing had fallen off and she looked frightened.

"Hey, sorry to crash the party," she said as everyone filled into the living room. Her heart skipped a beat as she saw Ashley and Chelsea make there way from the kitchen to see why the noise level suddenly lowered.

Clay had a huge grin on his face as he made is way over to her. He carried a four year old girl in his arms. She was a mirror image of him.
"Spencer, oh my god! You're here!" His voice exclaimed. "Siena May, this is your aunt Spencer I tell you about. Can you say 'hi'?" He said tugging at the little girl's art shirt. The little girl turned her head shyly away into his shoulder. This made Spencer chuckle, the little girl even had his personality.

Everyone had come to surround her, but most important, SHE had come to stand next to Chelsea and Clay. To make matters worse, the young child in her arms began to cry. Spencer looked down at her daughter and softly whispered reassurances to her. The child not used to so many people around her.

In a emotionless voice, Ashley asked, "Who is she?"

Spencer looked up at everyone. The question that was on everyone's mind was asked bluntly.

She answered, not meeting anyone's eyes, "My daughter, Maddelena."