Going back through some of my earlier chapters and polishing them up a little, so bear with me. Or, if you're new to the story, enjoy! This is by far the smallest chapter, so don't worry.

It was going to be a long, long day.

Coffee hadn't helped, nor the shower right after to help her feel more human. Not even music blaring through her speakers as she drove to the funeral home, when music had always been her go to for emotion balancing. As the Crawling in my skin remix played she just stared ahead at the road, wishing her mind could wander. But not today...though considering once she got out of the car and everyone elses emotions hit her she would have reverted anyway. Not that it was a bad thing...it is a sad day, a day of mourning, and she would give her proper respects while trying to help comfort everyone else. Not a day for her usual sarcasm or humor, which she usually dug into to help with her own issues.

Ashley sat next to her mother and held her hand, knowing anything she said would bring on a fresh batch of tears. People began to make their way in to the funeral parlor, signing in and paying their respects before sitting down, waiting for it to begin. About thirty minutes later, when the parlor was full, music began to play and a man stepped up to the podium in front of the casket. Ashley's mother began to shake and her stepfather put an arm around her. Her leg began to twitch, body betraying her need to move, when her mind knew she should stay still. Her cousin leaned forward, giving her a quick shoulder squeeze and whispering "Don't worry you aren't the only one, my adderall is working double time today", before leaning back into his seat. Poor guy had major ADHD...she only had it bad enough to have to bounce her leg when too still, not enough for medication but still annoying at times.

Finally the man began to speak, silencing everyone. "Thank you for coming to honor the passing of a young woman taken far before her time..."

Yes it was sad, and she wished her sister had stopped when she had the chance...one of several chances...but she never did. Not even when she was pregnant again. That's why this funeral was a double blow, it didn't just take one life...it took three. That's why next to the pictures of her younger sister there was pictures of an ultrasound with two little heartbeats. Ashley choked back a sob and let her mind relax so she could listen to the man talk. Talk about a person she didn't really know, but that was how funerals went unfortunately. They would go on and on about qualities the deceased usually didn't even have, just to make the living feel a bit better. Funerals aren't for the dead anymore, they're for the living.

Her nephew Jace sat next to her on the pew between her and her mom, not exactly knowing what was going on but knowing everyone was sad, and staying remarkably silent for a four year old with an active imagination. It probably helped quite a bit that he had her phone on silent, and was playing angry birds. It was either that or have him trying to cheer up mom during the funeral, and she had a feeling that would make her mom cry even harder. So, she tasked herself with keeping the toddler occupied while trying to pay attention to what the preacher was saying, a long and worthy task indeed. She even had a purse full of cheese and ham cubes in a little plastic bag, because while crackers are all well and good, they leave crumbs and make noises while you bite into them, while all cheese and ham does is a silent squish in your mouth.

Two hours later...

The funeral was over and Ashley was leaning up against her car, ready to escape back into her music bubble. All the "I'm sorry for you loss"es and "they are in a better place"es were finally starting to grind on her nerves. She knew everyone meant well, but she felt like she was being suffocated. She had lost too many people recently, and the quaint little town wasn't feeling like home now. It was more like a cage. Of course the town had always felt a little off to her in the first place, with the local college blocking anything that could be considered fun from even getting close, along with monopolizing any chance of a liqueur license. Maybe it was a good thing she hadn't gotten an apartment yet. She had been in a wreck on her moped 4 months ago and had lost both her jobs and her apartment. Her suit had finally pulled through, though, and her wrist and back had healed, so it was time to do something...maybe take a vacation...

"Hey trouble."

Her cousins voice jolted her out of her daydreaming. Eight years younger than her, they had been close ever since he was old enough to gurgle, and greatly so at that. True, they hadn't spoken in about a year, but some things never change. He was one of those few people who understood her when it came to having eclectic movie and music taste, and when playing games against each other never got angry when they beat each other. He was also the only other person she knew who could research seemingly pointless information and be content, not to mention spout it at people when he got nervous. She though of him as a younger brother, not a cousin. He also had a wonderful way of irritating her in just the right way, that could make her both smile and feel like strangling him at the same time.

"Trouble? I'm standing here minding my own business, and I'm trouble? I'm simply trying not to strangle all of my sisters crazy friends. Half of them are high off their gourd as we speak, and I don't want them near my mom, much less me for that matter."

"Heh...so trying to stay out of trouble then. Doing a good job considering there isn't anything sharp in your hand yet, so bravo. Other than that how are you coping? T-bone any more cars with a scooter? Make any kids cry cuz you won't sell them a video game with cussing and boobs?"

"Hahahaha very funny. I actually had a mom drag her kid in by the ear yesterday, actually, after finding out he had tricked his grandma into buying him the new grand theft auto, and she did actually walk into his room and see boobs."Stiles snorts at that, and they both smile for a minute envisioning it." I'm ok I guess, my suit is over but I still don't have my own place, and I have to drive 30 minutes to get a beer. Other than not wanting to stay in this town anymore I'm peachy."

He grinned at that."You're just in luck then, oh cousin of mine. What if I told you then that dad had an offer for you that you can't refuse?"

"Which is?" raising one eyebrow suspiciously as she asked.

"Wellll it's about to be a new year of high school for me, along with still being in lacrosse. Dad has his hands full of the usual sheriff stuff and thinks I need some company, or something along those lines...maybe it was keep me in line? Anyway he figured now that you have the suit all over and the funeral and everything, you might need a vacation. Change of environment and free rent for you, movie buddy and another cook for me. Dad wont watch puppet master with me, and I need someone else who laughs at scary movies. Not to mention your cooking is the bomb." He paused for a minute to take a breath and she jumps in before he could start in again.

"You just miss being my sidekick."

"What? No! I'm Scotts sidekick if anything...I mean, maybe part of the time...ok depending on whats going on all the time...Come on someone needs to cheer us on warming the benches at the games! And you're legal to get certain beverages..." He gives an innocent grin and wiggles his eyebrows.

"Haha...like your dad would let that happen."

"Doesn't happen if we aren't caught. And you would be moving halfway across the country, where you know next to no one and there is all new sorts of stupid. And awesome Chinese takeout. Did I mention we can have weekend anime all nighters? Re watch Full metal Alchemist Brotherhood together?"

"Ok...very temping...but can I bring the bike or would I have to depend on your dad? Does my room have a window? Is there a bar in town? For how long? What systems should I bring? When can we leave? And do you know anyone not a teenager?"

She was getting excited as she asked the questions and he could tell.

"I still can't believe you got another bike after the wreck, I would be jumping at the chance to have something with four wheels and an air conditioner. Bring the bike, yes, yes, however long you want to stay, all of them, as soon as you are ready, and why do you ask?"

"Because I have been single too long and can meet people who aren't idiots I have known forever. Do you know how hard it is to find a date in a town where everyone your age is uber religious and seems to hate anything fun? Not to mention when you consider how much I hate rednecks in a town filled with them?"

"Well when you put it that way..." They grinned at each other, her mind already made up.

"I will have to let mom know I am moving out of her spare room, but other that that I should be ready to go within an hour. You know your dad is going to regret this."

"Yea" he laughed evilly" but by that time it will be too late."

"Well" She sighs" I might as well go tell mom the good news...she will be sad to see me gone but we both know this is the best thing for me right now."

"Definitely." He declared. "Beacon Hills wont know what hit it!"

She rolls her eyes and starts walking back towards the crowd, looking forward to a relaxing change of pace.

Too bad she wasn't going to get it. The relaxing part that is.