A/N: I'm so sorry that updates have been…well, lacking. Life has not been going so well, and therefore had a verrrryyyy long gap between updates. I'm back, however, but I don't wanna say what the update schedule is going to be. Once a week would be my goal, but depending on reviews, who likes the story, and so forth, updating more often might be a possibility. Also, if the title seems the same, it's because it is. I'm keeping the title, but changing the story completely. New characters, new conceptall that good stuff. So, SINCERE APOLOGIES to those who liked the other fanfic…I grew out of that one, plus this story's a helluva lot better…guarantee it!! So…without further ado…here goes my next attempt at a fanfic… :)

Disclaimer: I own not a damn thing!! Ya digg me?? Well, except my concept of the beloved characters of SON… :)


Chapter 1: The Cards Were DealtLet's Reshuffle

When Ashley Davies was fourteen, her mother told her that everyone had a destiny.

Christine Davies—a woman with the parenting abilities of Brittany Spears and more money than she knew what to do with—told her daughter in slurred, intoxicated words that everybody had a destiny. She spoke nothing of God's will or any religious stuff like that, and threw up right after she said it. But, she didn't remember the words because they were good advice or great words of wisdom, anyway.

Nope.

Her words will always be etched in the brunette's mind because it was one of the very few times her mother had spoken to her, and the only time she had agreed with what was said. Of course she didn't have the same opinion at first but in the twenty-five years of her existence, she concluded that, yes, everybody on earth had a destiny.

Every. Single. Person.

It was not always so clear-cut, because Ashley's journey sure as hell wasn't. No way in her still young age, did she consider herself an expert either. Considering her travel down the road of life, however, she never, in a million years, thought that she would be where she was. Therefore, in explanation of the road she had traveled, she placed the blame on destiny. Everyone had to believe in something, right?

"I think that's everything, Ash," said a voice from behind her.

She glanced over to Nate—a tall, lanky, copper skinned man, formerly known as her roommate—as he entered the now empty bedroom. His deep voice echoed off the bare burgundy walls as she inhaled a breath of air.

"Yeah," she said quietly as the air escaped her lips, "I guess it is."

Ashley looked around the room once more. It didn't seem to look the same as it once had. The bed, stripped of the earth tone linens, seemed bare without the millions of pillows the brunette owned. The walls, without the many picture frames filled with past memories, looked almost lonely. The closet, to her left was wiped clean of the clothes the inbred singer bought. Dressers to the right of the door were empty, the windows, hidden by blinds, were closed off to the morning sun, and her guitar, which normally sat to the left of her bed, was packed away and placed gently on the front seat of her newly purchased Trailblazer.

It was true that all her belongings filled most of her vehicle and the stuff she couldn't fit, she gave to her former roommates—it wasn't like she needed it, and with the money inherited after her father's death, she needn't worry about petty things like that. There were more important issues at hand.

"Are you leavin' now?" Nate asked, interrupting Ashley's thoughts. Her voice sounded distant, perhaps sad, but she knew he understood her reasoning.

"Yea," she answered after a moment, "are Mike and Jazz still gone?"

"Uh huh," Nate responded and she nodded in disappointment. "They told me to tell you bye…and good luck."

Ashley nodded once again, facing the copper-skinned man, and motioned for a hug. Nate took the hint, slowly filled the distance between them, and wrapped his arms gently around the smaller woman. Ashley wrapped her hands around him leaning into the hug, resting her head on his chest.

At the same time, Nate breathed deeply, cursing himself for allowing his eyes to fill with tears.

"You know I love you, right?" He whispered deeply, words laced with heartache. He knew the circumstances, however, and as he awaited Ashley's inevitable answer, he also knew that the words she muttered would not mean the same.

"I love you, too." He was right. The words were said in the friendliest of ways, but he also knew she meant every word.

He held her for a moment longer before pulling out of the hug. Once they faced each other, he noted the tear stained cheeks of the brunette and raised his hand to wipe away the tears. Heartache was inevitable in her eyes as well, but it was not caused by him, he knew. Her heartache lived thousands of miles away on the west coast.

"So I guess this is good-bye?" he asked quietly, knowing the answer.

"Not good-bye—see you later." She smiled a small smile, grateful at the fact he used a line from one of their favorite movies. It lightened the mood, but also finalized that it wasn't the last time they would see each other. "I should get going if I wanna hit the road before all the traffic starts to get crazy."

He chuckled, deep voice ringing through the room. "This is New York, the traffic is always crazy."

"You're right, so that means I should probably go." She made her way toward the door and stopped when she realized she wasn't being followed. "You're staying up here?"

"Yea," he said, placing his hands in his jean pockets, "I just wanna think through some things."

Ashley nodded in understanding. She turned around and left down the stairs. Nate watched with the exploding urge to chase after her and talk her into staying. He remained stationary, however, and instead of going after her, settled with walking towards the windows. He opened the blinds and a moment later, saw her emerge from the door beneath him.

He saw her as she glanced around for one last look of the apartment and suddenly, a memory flooded his mind.


"Ash, it's not all that bad," Aiden's voice encouraged through the phone as Ashley walked anxiously down the busy sidewalk of New York City.

"Aiden, are you hearing yourself?" She replied in frustration, "I'm graduating in two weeks and still don't have a place to stay yet. None of the apartments that I've looked at suit me. Plus, I really don't wanna stay by myself."

"Well, you could always move back to L.A.," he offered, a little too quickly for her liking.

"No," she answered automatically.

"Why?" he pressed, "I would love it, Spen-I mean, uh…Kyla would love to see you."

She hesitated for a moment, knowing painfully well the name he was going to speak. She felt her heart race faster as she caught the code, and although he replaced Spencer's name with Kyla's, she knew he meant her. The fact she was still thinking of the brunette made her weak for a split second.

Well, she liked to tell myself it was a split second.

But she was in her past, and visiting her past was something she did not want to do…at the time.

"Aiden," she said quietly, "I can't come to L.A"

"Can't or won't?" He challenged.

Ashley became silent as she repeated the question in her mind. She knew that he was aware of the answer before the question was asked. And she also knew that her growing silence only confirmed his suspicions.

"Why do you keep running away from what you care about most?" He was impatient, and from the sound of his voice, she could tell he wanted an answerso she gave him one.

"Look…I'm not runningI'm living. And right now, I need to find a place to live before I'm living out on the streets."

It was an answer. Not one he wanted, but the only one she was willing to give.

"Alright," He relented, disappointedly. "Well…I'm sure you'll figure something out."

"Thanks for your help, Aiden," She said flatly. "I really appreciate it."

"Well, what am I supposed to do? You have millions of dollars and can't find an apartment to live in? Hell, Ashley, build yourself an apartment if it's that bad."

"I don't wanna build an apartment, Aid," She said annoyed by the conversation, "Iwhat is that?" Ashley stopped, sidetracked by the voice she heard. Whoever it was, was singing and very well at that matter.

"Ash?" She heard Aiden say through the phone receiver.

"And if I e-ver fall, in looove a-gain. I will be sure that the la-dy is a FRIEND—"

Ashley paused for a second looking around for the voice. Rounding the corner, she soon saw that it was a copper skinned man, lanky in appearance, but still withholding a noticeable attraction. He was dressed in Southpole blue jeans and a wife beater; short hair cut into a fade, and wore a cleanly shaven goatee on his face. He sat on the steps of an apartment building, and as the brunette approached him, she noted the confident way of which he carried himselfbefore she even spoke to him.

"Aiden, I'm gonna call you back," Ashley said as she closed her phone and put it in her purse.

"—I will be sure that the la-dy's just, like you."

"Excuse me," She began, tapping him on the shoulder. He removed one of the earpieces from his ear and turned off the iPod that he held in his hands. "I was just passing by and heard you singing. I, uh, well yea…you're really good."

He looked at the woman with kind, hazel eyes, and smiled.

"Thanks. The name's Nathan, by the way. Nathan Thomas." He offered his hand and Ashley gladly accepted as they shook with one another.

"I'm" She started, but found herself surprised as he cut her off and continued the sentence.

"I know who you areyou're Ashley Davies." He said matter-of-factly.

"Wait, how did you know my name?" She asked suspiciously. He chuckled. Ashley Davies, however, didn't find the question funny.

"Don't tripI'm not some kind of weird stalker or nuthin' like that. Naw, I heard you singin' at that one club a couple timeswhat is it? 702? You're a damn good singer, too. One of the only reasons I go back to that place actually."

"Thanks," She said with a smile. "I don't remember seeing you there, though."

"Oh, I neva' sang. Just went ta see tha talent. Not that there was much, but it's a club." Ashley laughed. "So, what brings you around here?" He asked .

"Well, I was actually trying to find an apartment for rent, but none of the places I've looked at so far are anything near what I want."

"Really? You're looking for a place?"

"Yeasee I graduate from Juilliard in two weeks and I'm trying to find a place that's affordable and homey, but nothing seems…right."

"Juilliard, huh? Good ass school, 'specially for music. What's yo major?"

"Piano, but I sing, too. But I guess you know that."

"Like Alicia Keys?"

"Yea, like her. She's actually one of my inspirations." The brunette admitted.

He nodded and said nothing else. They fell into a comfortable silence, however, and for the first time Ashley realized that she was talking to a person she barely knew. Still, he was probably the realest person she'd met since her stay in New York and she'd only known him for about ten minutes.

"You wanna sit down?" He asked after a moment.

"Sure." He adjusted himself on the cement stairs, making room for Ashley, before leaning back against the porch step.

"Where you from?" He asked as he removed his other earpiece and raveled the cord around the iPod.

"I used to live in L.A., born and raised."

"Fo' real? What made you wanna come out here?"

Ashley paused a second before answering. For some reason, she trusted him. Still, he was a stranger.

"Destiny," she answered, settling for being vague. "I know it sounds clichélike some cheap Hollywood love story gone wrongbut I've come to believe I was meant to be here."

Nathan nodded, sensing a hidden sadness deep within the blonde. He said nothing, however and let the comfortable silence envelop them once more. It was a few more minutes before Ashley decided to end the silence with a question of her own.

"Are you from New York?" He leaned forward, arms bent as he rested his elbows on the tops of his knees, before responding.

"Naw, I'm from Wisconsin, lived there since I was threeat least from what my Moms tell me. I lived in Milwaukee most my life, and then went to Racine. Couldn't afford to live in any good houses tho', so yea, I guess you could say I lived in tha hood."

"So you decided to come to New York?" Ashley asked, genuinely interested.

"Somethin' like that. I was tha oldest of my brothasMoms had three boysand I always told myself that I was gonna be somethin'. She was a good momalways came through when it seemed like we had nothin'so I wanted to do it for her. I worked my ass off during high school, worked at a couple jobs, and went to school at Marquette University on a full academic scholarshiplucky for me. I don't know what I woulda done if I had to pay for it myself. But yea, I graduated last year and wit' tha money I saved, I moved out here." He finished, leaning back once more against the porch step.

"But…why New York?" Ashley questioned. "Out of all the places in the world, why did you choose New York?"

He looked at her for a second and smiled. For the first time, she noted the deep dimples in his cheeks.

"Destiny," he said.

She smiled as silence encircled them once again, comfortable and relaxing. It was a moment before either spoke again and this time it was he who interrupted it.

"So," he began, "you said you're lookin' fo' a place to stay, right?" She looked at him and nodded. "Well, you can come stay wit' us. We were thinkin' bout renting anyway. There's an extra bedroom and you can have a look around if you want."

"I'd like that…but, who's 'we'?"

"Oh, my boy Mike and this chick named Jazz. I met them when I moved out here and they let me live wit' 'em. They're pretty cool people." Ashley nodded and said nothing else.

He stood up, Ashley following his actions. Before entering the apartment, he asked one last question.

"Are you free tonight?"

Ashley looked him in the eye, sensing his attraction toward her. She felt an irrational guilt for what she was going to say, but figured she might as well put the cards on the table.

"Actually, I'm not into guys like thatI'm gay." She waited to see disappointment cloud his eyes, and for a fraction of a second she thought she had. It would be a lie to say he wasn't disappointed, but he played it cool, expressing faux confusion rather than dissatisfaction.

"Naw, I meant are you free to hang wit' us tonightme, Mike, Jazz, a few others. We're gonna hit up 702. Do you wanna join us?"

She thought for a moment before answering. It was Saturday after all, most of her assignments were finished, and if she liked the apartment, then she would have to get to know the other two anyway.

"Yea," she said finally, "sounds like a plan."

"A'ight, coolcome check out the apartment." He stepped into the screen door, Ashley following behind, wondering that perhaps her luck was changing for the better. Nathan, on the other hand, thinking, 'I hope this isn't a mistake.'


Nate smiled at the memory, thinking that living with Ashley Davies was both a blessing and a curse. He knew it wasn't a mistake. She was probably one of the few real friends he ever had, not counting Mike and Jazz, and as he thought about it, the only best friend that he's had since he was a kid. He loved Mike and Jazz just as well, but in the five years he's lived with Ashley, he knew that she would be the only woman to ever touch his heart in the way that she had. 'She is special,' he thought, and as he watched Ashley enter her Trailblazer, he knew that someone, some woman, on the other side of the United States held the key to the heart of the only woman he ever truly loved.

It was destiny, he knew, and he couldn't do a damn thing about it.