Title: Safe
Author: Lauren
Rating: PG for sexual innuendo
Pairing: Spencer/Ashley
Summary: Spencer looks for an escape from the pain her parent's don't even know they're causing.
Author's note: This hit me out of the blue and is insanely short and saptastic. Let me know if they're out of character, because that's my main concern. Constructive criticism is always good, as well.
Disclaimer: The characters within do not belong to me.
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Voices float up through the floorboards, making it virtually impossible to concentrate on her homework with their sharp edges and cruel cracking. She turns on her CD player. Loud. Not loud enough to drown them out, of course. She finally is reduced to burying her face in her pillow.
When the front door opens and Clay comes home, Spencer is relieved. They won't fight in front of him. They don't know that they technically fight in front of her, she's sure. Still, that thought is not a comfort.
She gets off her bed and goes down stairs. Her dad and Clay are in the kitchen doing dishes, while her mom watches the news in the living room. Normal. Happy. Forced. That is what her family has become.
"I'm going out for a drive," she says.
"Honey, it's late. You just got your license and – "
"Mom, I know what I'm doing, all right?" She motions for Clay to give her the keys and he does. They both know why she needs to do this, even if they've never discussed it.
She gets in the car and drives. She opens the windows and drives by the beach, letting the salty air cool her skin. It's supposed to soothe her, but doesn't.
Spencer guesses she knew all along where she was headed. She stops in the driveway and gets out. An unfamiliar car is parked there and she guesses it's Ash's mom's latest conquest.
She knocks, hoping to god whoever answers is fully clothed. The last time she was here this late that wasn't the case – and they had props to give Spencer an idea of what just exactly she'd interrupted.
To her immense relief, Ashley answers, in a bathrobe and sporting damp hair.
"Well, what do we have here?" She grins at her in the dim light. "A good little girl like yourself shouldn't be out here this late.
"I was lost," Spencer says, grinning back.
"Let me show you how we do things around here. Namely in my bedroom." She pulls her friend inside.
"If you were a guy I would have so slapped you for that last comment," Spencer says, giggling.
"You know you liked it. You try and act all naive, but I know the truth." Ashley kisses the side of her face and they both smile.
"So, what will it b tonight in the teen angst department?" Ashley asks this when they're settled on the couch in the living room, sitting close and holding hands. Dawson's Creek? Party of Five? 90210?"
Spencer smiles as they settle down to watch a DVD where the drama is if not worse, then at least more cheesy than her own. And when the show is over and the screen is black, when the house is so quiet they can hear each other's breathing, she cries. Low and soft so that if Ashley hadn't been expecting it she wouldn't have known. But she is expecting it and does know. Slides over on the couch and pulls Spencer close, smelling like shampoo and reassurance.
She kisses her hair, her forehead, everywhere. Because this is why Spencer has come and they both know it. And both need it.
It's not something they discuss. It just happens some nights and no apologies or thank yous are needed afterwards. They're just there, together. Safe.