Ashley shuffled weakly in her blonde's arms, pulling on her shirt that was slowly riding up. She didn't mind baring her stomach to Spence - hell, she'd bared a lot more - but it was around 6 am and winter and the cold were slowly numbing her stomach. Still, she refused to move.

They were sitting on the beach, she was positioned in betweens Spencer's legs, wrapped up in Spencer's arms, Spencer's head on her shoulder, and she wouldn't change it for the world.

The sun was just peeking up above the surface of the ocean, wary of the day to come. Ashley turned her head and looked at Spencer; parts of her face were gently lit up.

"Hey, gorgeous," she whispered centimeters from Spencer's ear.

Spencer smiled and leant in, kissing Ashley's lips gently; "hey, beautiful."

. . .

Around half of the sun was showing by now, Ashley guessed, and it wouldn't be long before the rest of it was showing. Spencer had fallen back asleep ten minutes ago and the breath from her gentle snores was falling upon Ashley's ear.

She gently lifted up Spencer's hand and weaved the fingers in with her own.

It's funny, thought Ashley, when she finally arrives home; they'll all assume she'd been out partying the whole night.

Ashley and Spencer hadn't attended any party at all that night; they'd stayed at the beach by themselves, falling in and out of blissful sleep. Kissed but gone no further.

She leaned back into Spencer. She watched the Sun's careful ascent into the morning sky.

"Do you love me?" She whispered into Spencer's ear.

"You know I do," Spencer murmured in reply. "Everyone knows I do," she added, almost incoherently.

"Spencer, I'm not naive," Ashley began. "I don't believe high school relationship last forever. I don't think there's no one else out there for me, or for you. I just know we'll end up together, in the end, after it all. We may not be together for all of it, but we will in the end, y'know? I see myself marrying you, Spence. I see myself raising our children - and God, I never thought I'd have children. I see myself dying with you by my side. I know how ridiculously cheesy that all sounds. Just - Spence, we'll always come back to each other."

Spencer nodded into her hair and kissed her neck. She cupped her cheek and turned her head and kissed her.

"I know what you mean," she said, grinning. "I get it. All of it."

. . .

The sun was all the way up over the ocean, and the both girls were bathed in light.

"Don't wanna," Ashley pouted when she felt a nudge against her back. Two warm palms pushed her slowly upwards.

"Well, you gotta," Spencer whined, imitating the brunette. "I gotta get home."

Ashley sighed and stood up, falling back down when her brain got the message that her legs were completely numb.

"Ash, get up or I'm leaving you behind," Spencer warned, picking up her bag and their blanket.

She sighed. "See you in the car."

. . .

She crept into the house, dumping her bag at the bottom of the stairs and kicking off her red converse. She checked her watch - 8:35. Damn.

"Y'know a call wouldn't hurt," Paula called from the kitchen. "Or a text even."

Spencer groaned and dragged her feet into the kitchen. "Sorry," she said, devoid of any sign of remorse.

"You partied 'til it was light, huh?"

"No, I slept round Ashley's." Spencer Carlin can lie through her teeth.

Paula coughed and raised her glass of orange juice to her lips.

The house phone rang; Glen answered.

"Spence, it's for you!" He called out, sliding the phone onto the kitchen worktop.

"Hello?" Paula could faintly hear Ashley's voice on the other end. "Hey, Ash."

Spencer had smiled the second she'd heard Ashley's voice, even if she wasn't aware of it.

"Sure, I wanna do something today."