First Chapter of a new fic, let me know what you think? I have a few chapters written and a heap of jotted down notes so I can continue.
What Went Wrong
Chapter One - The Fallen Interlude
"Spencer are sure about this?"
Spencer Carlin snapped the clasp on her bag shut, tucked a few strands on long sun-kissed blonde hair behind her ear and glanced up at her housemate and former mentor, Lily Zee. "Lil, I'm a professional and this is my job. Is it going to be hard? Yeah it will be, but it's not like I have a choice." Spencer walked over into the kitchen bench and poured some much needed coffee into her travel mug, she had not been sleeping well since she had been told about her latest assignment. "Our oh so lovely boss, Richard, told me in no uncertain terms that I do this piece or I start trawling the classifieds."
Spencer was working as a producer and director at MTV. She was particularly known for her interviews and documentaries with the Gay and Lesbian community. She was quite well known as an activist and pillar of the community. She had started at MTV as an intern in her junior year of college (thanks to Lily) and had now been working there for almost four years.
Lily quickly walked around the bench to the younger woman's side and pulled her into a fierce hug, "Spence I saw what you went through with her and I was there while you struggled to put your life back together after everything. It took you so long to be able to even function after what she put you through and I don't want to see you hurting like that again."
Spencer smiled sadly at Lily, "God I know. I had planned on never seeing her again but like I said I don't have a choice and maybe now that I'm actually starting to feel human again I need to do this so I can get closure and finally start to move on," Spencer shrugged and both women were fully aware that Spencer was trying to convince herself just as much as she was trying to convince Lily. Spencer gave Lily a quick hug and swung her bag up onto her shoulder before giving Lily a small, nervous smile that came out as more of a grimace, "Well here goes nothing, I guess I'll see you when I get home?"
"Yeah you will, but Spence please call me if you need to talk, anytime." Spencer nodded and gave a Lily one last smile, it was rather forced though, before scooping up her keys and travel mug and heading out the door.
After a quick stop at the office to meet her Camera man and to pick up the equipment, Spencer dragged herself into the MTV van and started to read over her notes for the upcoming documentary. The notes were really a waste of time, she knew everything that was written on the pages. She knew this subject better than she wanted to, especially now after everything.
Spencer took a deep breath and closed her eyes as she rested her head back against the seat in the van. This project was going to be one of the most challenging, if not the most challenging, Spencer had ever had to do. She wished with all her being that she could get out of this project and go back to trying to exist.
As they pulled up into the car park of the Dirty Mind Records building, Spencer took another deep breath to try and settle her screaming nerves. God I don't know if I can do this, Spencer thought to herself.
"Hey Spence you ready?" Seth, her long time colleague and friend asked as he jumped down out of the van's driver seat.
Spencer forced a smile onto her face and said, "Of course, let's get this show on the road." Spencer hopped out of the van and went around to help Seth with the equipment.
"So this chick is like a new major player in the music industry?" Seth asked as he checked a camera bag.
"Um yeah, she set up her own record label about twelve months ago and has broken all the records by actually getting some great bands and artists, getting quite a few top charting hits and making a profit. She's made a hell of a name for herself as a producer and a song writer." Spencer answered, feeling her heart pounding in her chest as they walked towards the building. Spencer fought hard to keep her breathing even to starve off the urge to sob in fetal position right there on the sidewalk.
Seth held the door open and Spencer led the way into the building. They walked over to the reception desk, Spencer smiled at the bubbly blonde behind the desk and introduced herself, "Hi I'm Spencer Carlin and this is Seth Mills and we're here from MTV."
The receptionist squealed with excitement and jumped up out of her seat liked she'd been electrocuted. "Of course, right this way the boss is expecting you." Spencer and Seth followed the receptionist into a large meeting room, "Have a seat and the boss will be right with you." Spencer smiled politely and stood with her back to the door, silently preparing herself for the moment that was about to take place. It would be the first time she had come face to face with the woman who had broken her heart in almost two years.
Spencer heard a door open behind her and saw Seth step forward to greet the new arrival, "Hi there I'm Seth Mills from MTV." Spencer spun around just as the new arrival was about to introduce herself. As soon as her eyes fell on Spencer she froze, her words dying on her lips.
"Hello Ashley," Spencer nodded to her and picked up her clip board, all the while holding the other woman's gaze.
"Spen…Spencer?" Ashley stammered. Spencer was secretly a little pleased to see that she still had an impact on her gorgeous ex-girlfriend, although she had not been prepared for the rush of emotions that surged through her upon seeing her. Seth's eyes flicked back and forth between the two women. The tension in the room was palpable, the silence was far from comfortable. Seth began to fiddle with the strap on his camera bag, "So ah you two already know each other?"
"You could say that," Ashley whispered in a strained voice. Spence felt a stirring in her at the sound of the voice she had been hearing in her dreams ever night for the last two years.
"We went to high school together," Spencer added. She saw Ashley visibly flinch at her minimalisation of their past together. Seth looked at Spencer and knew there was more to the story then he was being told. While Spencer was every inch the professional, her eyes always gave her away. In that moment they were screaming out pain and heartbreak.
Ashley audibly swallowed and gave Spencer a tentative smile, "You, uh, you look great Spencer. How have you been?"
Spencer fixed a professional smile on her face and calmly replied, "I'm great thanks. I can see you've done really well for yourself."
Ashley looked down at the floor. She felt like she'd just been hit but a semi. She had missed the beautiful blonde so much so it had become a physical ache that had only gotten worse since she'd last seen Spencer. "Yeah I've been lucky," Ashley said softly, still looking down at the floor.
Spencer frowned slightly, modesty did not suit her ex-girlfriend one bit. As quick as the frown appeared on her face, Spencer covered it with her professional mask. There was no way in hell she was going to let Ashley see just how much it was effecting her to see her again. Ashley Davies had broken her and Spencer would not give her the satisfaction of seeing how much pull she still had over Spencer's heart.
Seth cleared his throat, bringing Spencer back to what they were there to do. "Um well I'm sure everything about this documentary was explained to you over the phone but if you have any questions or want me to clarify anything just ask." Ashley nodded and gestured for them to take a seat. Spencer sat opposite Ashley and let Seth take the seat closest to her former love.
"Right well basically there will be some standard interviews, both with you and a few of your artists and also Seth here will be shadowing you on the job so we can get some action shots. I'm here as director/producer/interviewer…um what else? Oh all you need to do is act naturally and be yourself. Do you have any questions?" Spencer was completely in professional mode, fighting the urge to scream and beg Ashley to explain why she had fucked her over so badly.
Ashley looked down at her hands, which were clenched tightly around her coffee cup, "Ah no, no questions. So um when do we get started?" Ashley was trying desperately to stop herself from sobbing and clutching Spencer to her, she couldn't believe that Spencer was there, in her life. She had no idea how to handle this.
"Well if you've got the time we could get some of the interview questions over with now?" Spencer asked, trying to remain as collected as humanly possible.
Ashley nodded and met Spencer's eyes for the first time since she'd entered the room. She had always been able to read Spencer and now what she was reading in the gorgeous cerulean eyes before her was breaking her already broken heart. Spencer's eyes told a story of intense pain, loneliness and devastation. Ashley could also see that Spencer was noticeably thinner than the last time she'd seen her and she looked tired, beautiful, but tired and kind of haunted. My God I did that to her, Ashley thought to herself as she swallowed back tears.
Ashley felt like a monster. She noticed Spencer and Seth looking at her expectantly, "Oh sorry, yeah let's get the interview started. Um, we could do it in my office? Will that work?"
"Yeah that would be great, lead the way," Seth said with a friendly smile. Spencer forced a polite smile and followed Ashley and Seth down the hallway to Ashley's huge and stylish office. After a quick look around, Seth went to retrieve a different camera from the van and left Spencer and Ashley alone.
There was an extremely awkward and strained silence. Ashley coughed and walked to stand beside Spence who visibly tensed as her ex approached. "So, it's been a while," Ashley began.
Spencer gave a sort of grunt in response and continued pretending to read her notes. "Spence…I missed you," Ashley said quietly. Spencer's head snapped up and she looked at Ashley, her eyes narrowing in disbelief. "It's true, not a day has gone by where I haven't though about you and regretted what I did."
"Stop," Spencer snarled her professional mask well and truly gone, "You don't get to say you miss me or that you think about me. You gave up that right when you broke my heart, destroyed my life and left me to pick up the pieces." Ashley froze at the venom in Spencer's voice. She had never seen Spencer so livid, and quite frankly it scared the crap out of her. The fuming woman in front of her was so different from the girl she used to know.
"Spence…I…"
Spencer cut her off, "No my name is Spencer. You don't get to call me Spence, not anymore. Now I am here to do a job. I didn't ask for this assignment, I was forced into it. I did everything in my power to try and get out of it. I don't want to be here so let's be professional and get this over with so I can get you out of my life!" Spencer stopped yelling, breathing heavily as anger radiated off her.
Ashley staggered back a step as though she'd been slapped. Blinking back tears she nodded sadly and murmured, "Ok Spencer. I'm…I'm sorry." The emphasis Ashley put on the last sentence made it clear that her apology was intended for more than what had transpired that morning. Spencer deliberately ignored the implied meaning and kept scanning her notes.
Ashley wandered over and took a seat behind her desk as she watched Spencer. She couldn't believe how badly she had broken this beautiful woman. She knew that she had royally fucked up.
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So that's the end of the first chapter, hope you liked it.
Anyone have an idea what may have happened between Spencer and Ashley? I mean I already know but I'd love to hear your thoughts!
Please read and review!
Oh and the name of the fic and the name of the chapter are the titles of Blink 182 songs.
