Heart of Nowhere
Disclaimer: I own NOTHING! Seriously, I got an e-mail the other day from the-n producers of South of Nowhere and you know what it said? "We are sorry to inform you that the rights to the show 'South of Nowhere' are exclusively owned by the-n and Thomas Lynch. But we understand where you're coming from." I'M JUST KIDDING! Ha-ha, but don't I wish…
Summary: Spencer and co. return to Ohio. (Dude, that rhymes!) Ashley's not willing to let it go with just a simple good-bye.
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Somewhere in Ohio…
'What am I doing here? I don't belong here in Ohio…Especially when my heart's still in LA…'
…
'I can't believe I'm actually here. In Ohio. Looking for someone that I don't even know wants to see me…God I hope she does…'
…
A brunette groaned and shouldered her bag and guitar case. She let out a muffled whimper as she headed towards the airport's exit, looking around desperately for a cab or something.
She finally finds the bus service, asking the locals if they know the Carlin family. They happily (their happiness scared her) point her in the right direction.
Nearly an hour a later, the LA native found herself standing before a very nice (as nice as they get in Ohio, nothing like what she grew up in) family home. For a moment she didn't think it was the right house, but the mailbox proved her wrong.
'Carlin' it read, a cross on either side of it. Yep, this was the right place. She couldn't believe that all her soul searching had lead her to the middle of nowhere, in Ohio. Standing outside the house of a woman who hated her, a man who wanted to help her, two boys who didn't care and the only one that matters, the one who loves her. The only one that ever did, this is something Ashley's sure of.
The brunette let out a heavy sigh and dropped her bags to her feet, cringing as her guitar case made a very depressing thudding noise.
She didn't want to be here, but she had to be. She had to be certain.
Flashback
"Hey Spence, what's up?" The brunette asked, "Wanna skip school?"
"Not now, Ash." The blonde sighed and contemplated her papers once more.
"Okaayy." Ashley drawled, "Sorrrry." She sat beside the blonde anyways, looking over at all the papers and questioned, "What's with the paperwork? School's out in two days, are you still getting homework?"
"No Ash, these are…" The blonde paused, grasped for the right words, "I have to give these to the office."
"College apps?" Ashley wondered aloud. She reached over, taking one in her hands and narrowing her eyes.
"No. They're the papers explaining why I won't be back next year." The blonde whispered, looking anywhere but at the brunette who seemed to have stopped breathing.
"W-what?" Ashley stuttered out, head slowly turning to face the blonde, "S-Spencer?"
"I…I'm moving back to Ohio, Ashley." Spencer muttered, too afraid to actually look her best friend in the eye as she admits the awful truth.
"W-when?" Ashley managed to ask, not believing that this could really happen.
"The day after school lets out." Spencer whispered and finally turned to look at the silently crying brunette. "I'm sorry, Ashley."
"It's not your fault, Spence." Ashley said through her tears, this couldn't be happening. "But why?"
"My parents want to try and fix their marriage; they want to return to the place where they were still in love. So we're going back to Ohio, to live with our grandparents." Spencer explained, reaching out for Ashley's hands, "Ash, I don't want to go."
"I realize that." Ashley laughed, but it sounds more like she's choking. "Spencer, I -"
"Come on, Spencer!" Glenn yelled, heading for his car.
"I'm sorry Ash, I have to go." Spencer stood and made her way over to her brother, "Call me later!"
"But Spencer…I love you…" Ashley whispered, "You can't leave me…"
Three days later…
Ashley stood there watching the Carlin family entering the plane's waiting area. She waited until the very end to move, to go to Spencer. The other members of the family are also saying goodbye to ones they care about. Clay and Chelsea are hugging like no tomorrow; even Aiden's there, shaking Glenn's hand, muttering something about wishing they could've played more against each other.
"Spence." Ashley whispered as she drew nearer.
Spencer's noticed her now and she ran over, throwing her arms around the brunette. "I was scared that you wouldn't come, I never thought I'd get to see you again." The blonde whispered in her ear and Ashley can feel the burn of tears well up in her eyes again.
"I wouldn't let that damn plane leave if I didn't see you now." Ashley muttered, hoping that made sense to the blonde. They both held tight, Ashley refused to let go.
"Oh Ash, what am I gonna do without you?" Spencer asked, she tried desperately to pull the brunette closer, even further into herself.
"Go crazy?" Ashley managed to win a laugh from Spencer finally.
Spencer's laugh quickly transformed into a choking, sobbing cry and they collapsed together on the floor, completely missing the chair Ashley had been aiming for.
"It's ok, Spence." Ashley cooed, "We both have cell phones, I know mine will never get turned off again, ok?"
She earned no response from the blonde except for a nod and a tightening around her neck that's now borderline painful, but something she didn't want to stop. "Oh Spence…There's something I have to tell you…"
"Spencer! We're boarding, let's go." Paula yelled, nodding toward the plane.
"I…Ok, mom!" Spencer stood and headed for the boarding area with her family.
"Spencer, wait!" Ashley yelled out, climbing to her shaky feet and running after the blonde.
"Ash…" Spencer whispered, shaking her head, "I can't, I…"
"I love you!" Ashley exclaimed, eyes closed tight as she feared the reaction.
"You…What?" Spencer asked, stopping and facing the brunette.
"I love you, Spencer Carlin." Ashley repeated; face reddening as she realized she's never said those words before.
"I love you too, Ashley Davies." Spencer whispered and reached out, taking Ashley's hand in her own and pulled her close, this time kissing her. "I'm gonna miss you so much…" Spencer whispered and then she's gone.
They lost touch after that, it wasn't easy to get a hold of the other, so they both kind of gave up. Neither really wanting to, but needing to. It was just too much, too far away. But when they did get in touch, the first and last things said were always the same, 'I love you.'
But now, Ashley's lucky if she just gets Spencer's voicemail, but even she's not that lucky anymore.
End Flashback
So now, Ashley stands outside the Carlin's Ohio residence, dying to see the girl who left her. She has to know if Spencer ever stopped loving her, when. Ashley knew that she never did, she hasn't met anyone, gone out to party, gotten drunk or done drugs since Spencer left, that has to mean something. But does it only mean something to her? Or will Spencer care also?
The front door opened and backing out of it was a young blonde. Spencer. She was saying something to the rest of the family, nodded and then closed the door, shaking her head as she stared at the ground. Then she looked up and stopped breathing.
"Ashley?" Spencer breathed, heart racing as she looked upon the brunette. She looked so out of place here.
The LA native nodded, looking down at her hands, embarrassed for some reason. "Yeah, it's me…But is it really you, Spence?"
Spencer nodded, never once taking her ocean eyes off the brunette, she feared that if she did, she would disappear just a quickly and as randomly as she had come. "Ashley…" She whispered again, another step closer; she could reach out and touch her now.
"Spence…?" Ashley inquired, one hand out, an invitation.
"Ashley!" Spencer yelled and very suddenly, Ashley was holding the girl she loves again.
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So what so ya'll think? Good, bad, ugly, stupid, stop writing? Hm, let me know what you think, I'm kinda stuck on a Ch. 2, so…Suggestions please?
So you all know that button in the left corner? The one that says, 'Submit Review'? Yeah…Now about that, the 'Go' button…You know you wanna click it…Don't fight the desire!
