Author: Ashley

Pairing: Spencer and Ashley

Disclaimer: Don't own 'em. The N does.

Summary: Picks up where the mid-season finale left off. The morning after.

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Rock, Paper, Scissors

One:

Ashley slowly opened one eye and, through a curtain of curly hair, checked her surroundings. Bedroom. Her bedroom. She popped open her other eye and lifted her head, and that's when she felt it. The warmth (naked warmth) pressed against her right side, arm draped across her back, hot breath tickling her shoulder. Memories of the night before started flashing through her head, like a little slide show. Spencer. Trench coat. Naked Spencer. A smile started spreading across her face. Biting her lip, she turned her head and took in a sight she hadn't in a while. A sleeping Spencer. The younger girl's hair was mussed, all over the place, and her lips were slightly parted. However, her face looked completely relaxed, serene. Gorgeous. Ashley fought the urge to lean her head down and sweep her lips against the blonde's. She didn't want to wake her. Instead, she laid her head back down on her pillow and stared at the other girl, watching her sleep. She had missed waking up with Spencer by her side. Over the last few months, she had missed a lot of things involving Spencer. But she had herself to blame for that. Her and her fucking issues.

Not wanting to relive past mistakes, she decided to make a change. The running away and selfishness was ending. Right here, right now. This time around, she was going to do things right. She would stick by Spencer, take care of her, treat her better. She didn't want to cause her any more pain. Ever.

"When the sun shines
We'll shine together
Told you I'll be here forever"

"What the..." Ashley raised her head, wondering where the horrible music was coming from. She quickly scanned the floor around her bed. Spencer's cell phone was lying next to her trench coat near the door. As much as Ashley hated the Rihanna song, she couldn't help but find it adorable that Spencer had it as her ring tone.

"You can stand under my umbrella
Ella ella ella eh eh eh
Under my umbrella
Ella ella ella eh eh eh"

"Oh, god," she mumbled, cringing at the atrociousness of the chorus.

"Don't hate."

Ashley lowered her eyes, grinning widely at a now awake Spencer. "What? I love Rihanna."

"Liar." Spencer gave the brunette a lazy smile before tucking the sheet around her and rolling onto her back.

"She's hot, and she has an accent. What's not to love?" Ashley asked, propping herself up onto her elbow and looking down at the blonde. The ring tone continued. "Do you want to answer that?"

Spencer shook her head. "Don't wanna get up."

"Oh. Well, I can--" Ashley started to sit up, but was stopped by Spencer's hand wrapped around her arm. She allowed the blonde to pull her back down against the mattress.

"No, stay. I..." Spencer licked her lips, "I just want to lay here with you."

"Fine by me," Ashley happily replied, slipping an arm around Spencer's midsection and snuggling in close. Spencer's fingertip moved along her arm, drawing circles on her skin, making her tingle. "Last night was amazing. I..."

"Were you surprised?"

"Surprised doesn't even begin to describe it."

Spencer giggled, "Good. That's the reaction I was hoping for." She rested a cheek on Ashley's head, inhaling the fragrance of lavender, wanting nothing more than to stay in this position for the rest of the day. "Hey, what time is it?"

Ashley's eyes flitted to the small clock-radio sitting on her bedside table. "A little after twelve."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah. Why so shocked? We didn't go to sleep until, what was it, seven?" Ashley grinned naughtily and scrunched up her nose.

"Something like that," the blonde agreed, with a grin of her own. "Guess that means school isn't going to happen today."

"Oh, sorry. I should've set the alarm for you or something."

"It's okay. There's nowhere else I'd rather be at the moment."

Ashley felt her stomach do a little flip flop. She cocked her head, looking up at Spencer, getting lost in her blue eyes. "I've missed this. I've missed you." She felt a tightness in her throat, the moment overwhelming her. Something she wasn't quite used to. "I've missed us."

Spencer scooted down the mattress, getting eye level with the other girl. Her hand moved up to Ashley's face, palm pressed against a cheek, thumb brushing lips. Eyes darkening, she shifted, replacing her thumb with her lips. The kiss was soft, sweet, short. Spencer leaned her forehead against Ashley's and smiled, "I've missed us, too."

Ashley smiled brightly. "Does this mean we're... an 'us' again?"

The smile on Spencer's face slowly faded. Eyebrows scrunched together.

Ashley pulled back, searching the other girl's face carefully. "Guess not," she muttered, sitting up fully. She was upset. The happy, Spencer-filled fog she was in earlier was starting to evaporate.

Spencer sat up. "Ash, I'm not sure I'm ready to get back together. But that doesn't mean that I don't want to."

Ashley rubbed her head, tangling her fingers in her messy curls. "I don't understand. What was last night, then?"

After a beat, the blonde answered, "A thank you."

"A thank you?" Ashley glanced over her shoulder with confusion in her eyes.

"For getting my mom to go to Pride," Spencer smiled, reaching for one of Ashley's hands. "It meant so much to me, and I--"

Ashley tore her hand away and scooted to the edge of the bed. "So last night was no more than a 'thank you' fuck?" she spat, growing more upset.

"No! No, that's not what I meant." Spencer shook her head. "It was more – so much more than that."

Wrapped in a comforter, Ashley stood near the bed, staring at the girl she loved, "I don't think it was. Not for you."

Spencer grabbed hold of Ashley's hand, lacing their fingers together and tugging the brunette forward. "Ash, last night was perfect. It's never anything less when it's us."

Ashley swallowed down the lump in her throat, believing what was being said, seeing it in the other girl's eyes. "I know."

"And I want to be with you, I do, but..." Spencer dropped her head and averted her gaze, no longer able to look at Ashley. Instead, she focused on their hands. "I'm not ready. And I'm sorry if my hesitancy to jump back into a relationship with you hurts, but you can't really blame me, can you? You--"

"I know," the brunette interrupted, lowering her eyes, "I broke your heart."

"Yeah... And I guess I'm scared to give it back to you. It's still not completely healed yet."

"I'm sorry, Spence." The darker haired girl looked up into blue eyes. "I'll never stop being sorry. But I can promise, it won't happen again."

"Ash, you can't make those kind of promises."

"Yes, I can, 'cause I know it's true. I never, ever want to hurt you again." She released her hand from Spencer's grasp and used it to push back blonde strands of hair that had fallen in the younger girl's face. "I hate not being with you," she said softly, barely above a whisper. "I can't stand it. I need you, Spence." She lightly ran the pad of her thumb along Spencer's cheek and jaw. "I love you."

Spencer's eyes fluttered closed. "I love you, too."

"But you can't be with me?"

Opening her eyes, Spencer shook her head. "Not yet. Please don't be mad."

Ashley gave her a tight, sad smile. "I'm not. How can I be? I'm the one that fucked everything up."

"Ash."

"So, what are we? Was last night a one-time thing? Now we're back in just-friends mode?"

"I don't know." Spencer tilted her head. "Let's just take things slow, see what happens."

Ashley laughed softly, "If last night is what you consider slow, then, okay, I'm all for taking things slow."

"Cute, but no," Spencer smiled. "I don't think we should make what happened last night, and a good part of this morning, a habit. It's not healthy."

"You're no fun."

"Sorry."

"Stop, no sorrys. I understand." Ashley moved back a few steps, distancing herself from the naked blonde. "It might be a good idea if we get dressed. If you stay naked and in my bed, I might not be able to stick with the 'go slow' plan."

"Oh, right. Um..." Spencer eyed the bedroom, clearing her throat, "can I borrow some clothes? I wasn't wearing much when I came over."

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