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The Prodigal Daughter

Chapter 2: War Child

She was as beautiful as Spencer remembered, her hair still naturally streaked with red and her skin a familiar warm honey tone. What was different was the almost shy stance, the hands that were nervously tucked into the pockets of her softly faded jeans and the way her face was angled down. She looked smaller than Spencer remembered, like somehow the fact that her once vibrant and confidant nature seemed so obviously muted, had in fact shrunk her.

When a soft sigh escaped Ashley's mouth, Spencer found herself shuddering. The small sound seemed to break the quiet as effectively as a gun shot would have and both woman found themselves blinking in shock.

"Hey, Spencer."

Ashley's voice seemed as hushed as her whole demeanor, it's low tone practically vibrating down the length of Spencer's spine.

"Ash..." Spencer cleared her throat when her voice broke slightly on the long forgotten nickname and tried again. "Ashley." A small nod was all that she added to the acknowledgement.

Then the quiet crept back between them, both feeling robbed of words by the surprise of seeing the other. It was Ashley, her eyes down cast as she bent stifly to pick up the BlackBerry laying by her feet, that finally then stepped forward and caused Spencer to reflectively take a step back and once again stumble on the bottom step.

A hand shot out to help balance her, but inches from actually touching Spencer's skin, the hand stopped and simply hovered in the air. Ashley's eyes darted towards Spencer's face and away again, her throat working as she swallowed words down.

"You okay?"

The voice was still muted, still somehow foreign yet familiar, and Spencer found herself nodding again. She was ill prepared for this meeting, didn't have hours of planning and research to give her the general feeling of comfort she usually had when stepping into what was certainly going to be a confrontation of sorts. Spencer hated surprises in general and this situation, and the feeling of uncertainty that rushed her, just seemingly cemented her previous feelings on the matter.

"Yes, I'm fine. It's just...I wasn't expecting you."

It was an understatement of grand proportion, like calling the Titanic sinking a small nautical mishap. Spencer had, after all, been pretending for the last few years that Ashley Davies simply didn't exist. Now she was confronted with the girl, or more accurately after nine years, woman , in the flesh. She could honestly say the denial had been nice while it lasted.

"I'm pretty sure no one's expecting me."

Ashley seemed hesitant again, her brown eyes skittering about Spencer's face, then around the room and back again. She was so obviously nervous, it unnerved Spencer. The Ashley she had known had never been nervous a day in her life, not in any way, shape or form. Ashley had been pure energy and excitement, had been fearless and brave in ways that Spencer herself had been mostly envious of in her teen years.

This woman though? Spencer got the distinct feeling she didn't know her at all, or maybe she'd never really known Ashley the way she thought she had. The clenching in her gut and wrongness of the thought made her shake her head minutely at herself.

She had known Ashley, completely and truly, just as Ashley had know her. That was why everything that had happened between them had hurt so deeply.

"Do you know if...uhm...are my parents home?" She swallowed and suddenly straightened her shoulders, her head tilting up as she spoke again. "I'd like to talk to them, to you, to all of you if that's possible."

She seemed a bit more certain now, a little bit of her old self assuredness reappearing and it settled Spencer's nerves a bit. This was more familiar, this she could handle, knew how to handle.

Yet she didn't have the chance to replay, because as fate would have it, they could both clearly hear the front door opening and seconds later a tall brunette made her way into the front room. Mossy green eyes took in the scene, eyebrows raising faintly as they landed on Ashley and then quickly jumped to Spencer.

"Well, isn't this interesting. Are you going to introduce me to my sister or shall I do it myself, Spence?"

It was Ashley that abruptly stumbled over her own feet for no apparent reason this time, Spencer's hand landing squarely against her lower back to steady the movement. The contact was light, but it immediately had the desired effect of centering Ashley. Spencer kept her hand there for a few seconds more, not sure what justified the prolonged contact, but for a minute she was eighteen years old again and Ashley was her best friend. Her best friend that just had the shock of her life probably.

It was surreal, the feeling, and lasted for no more than another half second before she pulled her hand back.

"What? What do you mean sister? Spence, what the hell?!"

Spencer closed her eyes for a second and then opened them, giving Madison a short glare. She loved Maddie, she really did, but sometimes the newest addition to the Davies family, and her friend, drove her up the wall.

Madison had showed up a year or so before Spencer had started working for the Davies', her mother having passed away and in her will finally informing her daughter who her father was. Raife had met Madison's mother at a cafe in Chicago and a short stinted affair had led to the birth of a daughter he had never known about.

It wasn't a fact known to the public and as far as anyone outside of the family knew, Madison was a live in assistant at the Davies mansion. It had been her idea, because even though she was eager to know her father, she hadn't wanted the media focus that that would have entailed if they'd gone public with the news.

Raife had taken it in his stride, despite the fact that Christine Davies, his wife, had almost had an aneurysm when she'd found out. The rest of the family had adapted, Kyla simply loving the fact that she had a sister that actually wanted to be around and Aiden, well. Aiden had actually been an ass about the whole thing, but the family image meant he kept his animosity towards Madison out of the limelight at least.

"Look, Ashley, I think it's best if you just head on up to your father's study. This isn't my place to explain, it's not..." She let out a long breath, her common sense telling her to get the hell out of there and quickly. Sure she was already sucked into the lives of the Davies, had been for years, but this particular Davies had made it quite clear nine years ago that Spencer wasn't wanted by all of them. "It's family business."

Her statement was met with an eye roll from Madison and a frustrated sigh from Ashley. Before she could make her exit though, all their attention was drawn to the second floor when a voice drifted sternly down towards them.

"You are family, Spencer, always have been and you always will be. Now, I suggest all of you make your way to the main lounge while I gather the rest of the family. Make sure there's a martini waiting, I'm sure my dear wife is going to need it."

Raife stood tall at the head of the stairs, his eyes boring into Ashley's and a quiet moment passed like that, with father and daughter seemingly measuring each other from a distance. Ashley's face had changed the minute she heard her father's voice, her eyes going cold and her back straightening considerably. She seemed to be controlling her breathing and after a small nod she turned away from the staring contest.

They stood and watched as Raife made his way off to find the rest of the family spread throughout the house. No one moved at first, Spencer kicking herself for getting dragged into this particular family meeting, Ashley seemingly fighting to keep her cool and Madison simply looking at the two of them in slight amusement.

"So this is sure to be fun, I'm betting Christine is going to go ballistic Are you crazy like the rest of them, Ashley? They never talk about you much, but I've always had hope for you. I mean you were smart enough to escape all this craziness, right?"

Ashley flinched at Madison's words, the fact that her family had all but written her off being confirmed, and the information had hurt her. Spencer could see it, hated that she knew that face well enough to read it's subtle tells so easily. Yet she was proud when she didn't feel the need to immediately comfort the woman again.

"Yeah, I guess you could see it that way."

Spencer heard the words and only shook her head, knowing that Ashley had been the craziest of them all. She didn't see the point of correcting her, just stood there and took a few deep breaths.

Maybe this whole thing wasn't going to turn into such a big disaster after all if she stayed clinical, cool. The thought comforted Spencer and just as swiftly as her equilibrium had been disrupted, it evened itself out again. She felt her control slipping back into place, her doubt disappearing quickly as she took charge of the situation.

She was not a child anymore and it had been years ago that her infatuation with Ashley Davies had all but shriveled up and died. There was no need for her to panic, no need to feel somehow threatened in this situation. She could handle this family emergency like she did all the others, with a soothing presence and a calm mind.

"Okay ladies, I think it's best if we make our way to the lounge. No point in standing around here, if we're going to have this discussion we might as well have it in comfort and near alcohol."

Madison nodded her head and shared a smile with Spencer, both of them drawn to each other in the last year or so because of how they fit into the family dynamic. Madison still felt like an outsider most of the time and Spencer, despite being as much a Davies in Raife's eyes as any of his own children, would never truly be that, so they'd almost naturally migrated towards each other.

They were friends and when they all made their way into the spacious lounge on the first floor, she made sure to subtly align herself with Madison. They sat on an opulent leather couch as Ashley settled into a lounge chair, her back ramrod straight as she took in the now unfamiliar sight of her childhood home.

"It looks different."

Spencer noted that she kept her words to a minimum, never seeming to state anything but what was absolutely necessary to get her point across or ask her questions. It was another thing that was out of place with the memory of Ashley that Spencer had stored away tightly.

"Christine woke up a few months ago and threatened to burn the whole house down to get rid of the horrible, eyesore of a lounge."

Madison spoke with the derision she usually kept for Christine and Christine alone, when she quoted the woman. The two despised each other on principle and everyone had stopped trying to broker any sort of peace on that front. Getting in between the crossfire only meant you'd get shot in the ass for your trouble.

"Sounds like my mother, yes."

And that was that. Ashley seemed to get lost in thought as she sat quietly in her chair and Madison sat studying her long lost sibling intently. Spencer knew that despite the young woman's admission that she thought the Davies' were crazy, she longed to be a part of that craziness. She loved her family, it was tentative and new and she was still fighting for a place of her own in the scheme of things, but she was trying.

She knew Madison was curious now, Ashley's sudden appearance peeking her abundant curiosity, and Spencer simply hoped she wouldn't have to answer the questions that were sure to follow. Keeping her distance from Ashley until she knew what the girls true motivations were for showing up here again was key.

"Ashley?"

It was Kyla that asked the bewildered question into the quiet of the room, her appearance unheard by its three occupants. Kyla had Ashley's exuberance, her vivacity for life, but without any of the older girls hangups. She was sweet and somewhat naïve and in Spencer's humble opinion, too sheltered. But that was as much her fault as any of the other Davies'. Kyla was the youngest and the kindest of the lot, and even asshole Aiden instinctively protected her from the harsher aspects of their wealthy reality.

"Jesus, but you've grown."

Spencer's control was sorely tested right then, when Ashley sat staring at her younger sister with such regret and sorrow in her eyes. She felt the need to lay a hand on her shoulder again, to be the comforting best friend that she used to be, but fought the feeling down. It wasn't anyone's fault but Ashley's own that she'd missed her sister growing up. She'd been the one that left after all.

"That tends to happen when nine years go past. Time didn't magically stop just because you...left."

With that one word so fully infused with accusation, Kyla exposed her hurt, her anger at her sister. She abruptly squeezed onto the couch next to Spencer, her body curling into itself and the blond reached a hand towards her, gently laying it against a tensed forearm.

"Look, let's just wait for your parents before we start any...discussions, okay?"

Spencer kept her voice friendly, light, needing for her own sake to keep things civil for as long as possible. There would be yelling enough when Aiden got here, she was sure, so for know she wanted to keep them on track. Besides, if things got out of hand too quickly, she might not get the information that she wanted desperately.

Was Ashley just dropping by, or was she back for good?

All three woman seemed to agree with Spencer as they nodded quietly, Ashley's eyes resolutely fixed onto the rich carpet by her feet.

"How about I fix us all a drink while we wait? Vodka fine with everyone?"

After her question Spencer was halfway off the couch to do just that before Ashley's mumbled words registered with her, the brunette's eyes still on the floor as she spoke.

"I don't drink, but some water would be nice."

Spencer dropped quickly back onto her seat, her jaw hanging slack for the second time that night.

"You don't drink anymore?"

Ashley had been mostly drunk for the duration of their Senior Year of high school, a fact that Spencer hadn't liked, but she'd had to deal with if she wanted to be around Ashley. Most of the Davies were drunks anyway, but Ashley had been the worst of the lot. Not that she'd been a drunken mess or anything, but she'd always been one drink shy of it. She'd managed somehow to be stuck permanently in that happy, mellow spot that you achieved right before you drank just a little too much and ended up throwing up and embarrassing yourself.

It had made her uninhibited, fun, hysterical to hang out with, but also meant she was prone to impulsively hooking up with perfect strangers and doing things without giving the consequences a second thought.

It had meant that Spencer had worried, had clucked like a worried hen about the girl, until Ashley would turn that glazed smile her way, would dance with her for hours, their bodies swaying rhythmically together and make her forget to worry...

"I've been sober for four years now."

The soft utterance shook Spencer from the memory of the younger versions of herself and Ashley, of nights spent feeding a fire that Spencer had not known existed inside herself back then. She looked back up, waiting for more to be said, for an explanation, but nothing more was forthcoming.

"I...I guess that's good. I'm glad to hear it."

Finally a soft smile painted itself across Ashley's face, her eyes soft and deep as she somehow sweetly looked at Spencer.

"I always thought you would be."

Spencer stilled as her heart, or at least the part of it that had once belonged to the woman sitting across from her, contracted with both a nostalgic sense of joy and panic. Ashley had thought of her, had not simply forgotten about her as Spencer had suspected, in the years after she left. The panic stemmed from why she had done so?

Spencer didn't have time to extract an answer, because before she could stupidly ask the emotionally charged question on the tip of her tongue, she saw Ashley tense completely. Her face paled considerably and she swallowed, her eyes once again hardening as it had when she'd spotted her father earlier.

The blond found herself following Ashley's line of sight, her eyes to rest on the face of Christine Davies. The woman was approaching slowly, her face not over run with emotion as Spencer had suspected it would be. The cold passivity in her eyes, the grim, cruel set of her thin lips made the hair at the base of Spencer's neck rise up and in the pit of her stomach she knew the woman she herself disliked greatly was about to do something bad.

When Ashley finally stood and faced her mother, her own face grimly set, Spencer got her confirmation.

The sound of Christine's hand hitting Ashley's face reverberating in the room was deafening for some reason, and everyone seemed frozen on the spot.

"I told you nine years ago to leave this house and I told you never to come back."

The older woman's voice was cold, something that Spencer could only describe as pure hate resonating in every word. When her hand raised again, Spencer finally found her voice and the strength to move again.

"Jesus Christ, Christine!"

Her hand caught the woman's wrist inches from the passive Ashley's face, her fingers purposely tight as she yanked it down. She shoved the woman away, harder than was smart, but she couldn't help herself in that moment. She turned briskly to Madison, the only one she knew was probably keeping a level head right now and pleaded with her wordlessly.

Madison was up and off the couch immediately, her hand finding Christine's shoulder and the woman was abruptly shoved into a chair in the corner of the room. Then all else faded, the room and Christine's protests and Kyla's tears and Raife's quiet sigh as he stood in the doorway, when Spencer finally looked into Ashley's eyes.

Suddenly she was nineteen years old again, opening the door to her dorm room and finding herself staring straight into the tortured eyes of her best friend...

- - -

I hope this didn't disappoint and that you all enjoyed it. Was this okay, or did your eyeballs shrivel up after reading it? Let me know!

Also kudos to anyone that can guess the band that sings 'War Child' without having to google it, you're my kind of people if you can!