~XxX~

"Yo! Wheeler!" Ashley said loudly across the lobby. Danny turned around, he had got the mail. It looked like he was getting it before he left, meaning he was wearing his leather jacket. He looked confused at first, maybe it was a fan, a reporter, something like that. But no, it was his best girl friend, besides Riley, even before Riley. Then, a smiled appeared on his face, the tall woman had a large smile on her face as well.

"Rifter!" He said, he tucked the mail in his back pocket and closed the small door. She walked over to him and enveloped him in a hug.

"Dude, I haven't seen you in ages!" She said.

"It's been a couple of years." Danny said, holding Ashley at arm's length. "What're you doing here?"

"I moved from the Bronx, down here. Lower East Side! Just got here." She said excitedly.

Danny was still smiling, he let her go. "God, it's so good to see you. Glad we stayed in touch."

"How couldn't we?" Ashley asked, her bag going to the crook in her arm by her elbow. "I emailed you everyday."

Danny nodded. "Even if you didn't, we'd still be best friends."

"Ever since that sandbox." Ashley said, giggling softly.

"For a girl who's been in New York for a while, you sure are pale." Danny said, taking note of the dead white tone of skin.

"As I always will be." Ashley said. "And you're still...Huge." She said, looking up at him. Danny laughed and nodded.

"I am. Hey, why don't I walk you up to my apartment."

"Ben's." Ashley said as they walked up the stairs with Danny. He nodded.

"More or less."

~xXx~

After they got up to the apartment, Ashley as she watched Danny unlocked the door.

"Apparently, I'm right across from you."

Danny nodded.

"Apparently."

"Ben!" He shouted as he walked into the apartment, Ashley behind him. A woman walked in.

"Danny, don't bring your nighters back here, it's bad for Emma."

Mrs. Wheeler.

"HI, Mrs. Wheeler." Ashley said.

"Mom, you remember Ashley, right?"

"Oh! Yes! I've missed you, we use to go shopping together. You'd throw Ben into the car while Danny helped!"

Ashley nodded while grinning. A short guy, shorter than Ashley, walked up to her.

"Why hello there." Then he looked at Danny, who, without turning around, Ashley knew he had a look on his face. "Oh, she is your's? My bad, big guy."

"No, she isn't anyone's. Tucker, Ashley, Ashley, Tucker. She's my best friend, Tuck." Danny said.

"I thought Riley was your best friend." 'Tucker' said.

"She is, it's just, Ash has been around longer."

Tucker nodded. "You're skinny...But you look like you eat. So many eaters." Tucker said, walking to the kitchen while mumbling. Ben, who she recognized immediately, walked out holding a baby.

"Hey, Ashley." Ben said, handing her the baby. "Meet Emma. She's my daughter."

Ashley got a smile from the little one and she smiled largely. Danny was watching her face, how her blue eyes had that small flecks of yellow in the iris that made them look like a starry night sky. And he smiled too. Ashley played with the baby for a little while, after Danny ducked out of the apartment to get back to what he was doing, before she handed Emma back to Ben. She stood up, and sighed.

"Well, I should get going. I have to go see if my bed has arrived yet."

"Where do you live?" Tucker asked.

"Across the hall." Ashley said.

"I'd be happy to help you move in. I'm sure Tucker wouldn't mind." Ben said. Tucker nodded.

"Thanks, guys. Emma is adorable, by the way."

Ben flashed her a smile. "Thanks."

Ashley nodded and walked out of the apartment and across the hall. A note was on the door.

"I'll be over at noon tomorrow to help you move in. -D"

Ashley pulled it off the door and unlocked the door, walking inside and seeing her bed. She sighed happily and closed her door, locking it and setting down the note.

"Welcome to the Manhattan." She said to herself.

~XxX~