Title: Changing Hearts And Minds
Author: Freeing Alys
Rating: T
Pairing: Spashley[Spencer/Ashley
Summary: Spencer is at college and things are going good, then Ashley shows up out of nowhere half a year after their fallout and Spencer's whole world is turned around.
Disclaimer: I DO NOT own South Of Nowhere or any of the charectors or story plots. Those all belong to The-N and anyone else affiliated. I'm JUST a fan, trying to improve my writing skills. I'm not making any profit off of this at all. No copywrite infridgement intended.

Chapter Seven

"Spencer…what's going on?" Robbie asked his gaze on Ashley. He took her in, making note on everything about her, Spencer could tell from his expression. She had only dated Robbie for a couple of months, but Spencer had learned a lot about him in that time.

"Nothing. Just hanging out with Ashley, my old…" Spencer glanced at Ashley and watched her cross her arms over her chest and flash Spencer a look. Spencer was confused enough about what kind of relationship she wanted with Ashley exactly, but she wasn't going to push her away again. She was lucky Ashley had even come back the first time. Plus it was time to start being honest with herself and other people.

"You're what?" Robbie asked, not meaning to sound upset, but Spencer could tell that he was. She couldn't really blame him thoguth, Spencer was smart enough to know that guys never liked to see their ex-girlfriends kissing girls.

"My ex-girlfriend from high school." Spencer sputtered out and she watched Robbie shrug his shoulders and let out a small laugh.

"What is going on Spencer?" Robbie asked again and Spencer glanced voer at Ashley who was carefully stepping away from the scene.

"You know…I'll just see you later tonight Spencer." She mumbled and Spencer stepped towards her.

"Ashley, just wait okay?" Ashley glanced over at Robbie and Spencer knew what her problem was, explanign your ex-girlfriend to an ex-boyfriend isn't exactly a scene you want to be part of, especially if you're in the middle of it. Spencer let out a sigh and nodded her head. "Okay. Just meet me back at my dorm around seven okay? I'll be done with class then." Spencer mumbled and Ashley nodded her head.

"Bye." Ashley glanced back at Robbie and then walked away.

"Spencer…" Spencer glanced over at Robbie who was starting to look even more upset.

Spencer walked back over to Robbie and bent her head down and then back up again. "Sorry I didn't tell you." She breathed out and Robbie shrugged his shoulders.

"Tell me what exactly? What's going on with you?" Robbie asked while running his fingers through his blonde hair.

Spencer shook her head and let out a sigh. "Nothing is going on with me Robbie. Ashley just stopped by to visit me…we haven't seen each other since graduation."

Robbie shook his head and looked away from Spencer. "And that involves kissing her how?" Robbie asked while Spencer shrugged her shoulders.

"I'm not going to explain it to you Robbie. I don't need to." Spencer mumbled, knowing that her current status with Ashley-or anyone else-wasn't Robbie's business. Spencer brought her gaze back up and met Robbie's.

"Look, I really don't care about the past…what happened before. But what's going on now?" Spencer was really starting to get sick of that question. She let out another sigh and Spencer tried to figure out why she did this to herself again.

"It just happened Robbie." Spencer explained and Robbie nodded his head.

"Okay." He glanced at the ground and make up at Spencer, sadness etched in his eyes. "I just really like you Spencer…"

Spencer glanced away from Robbie and at the grass, she knew that, she just didn't know what to do about it. "I'm sorry Robbie. I don't know what to do."

Robbie placed his hands on Spencer's shoulders and she glanced back over at him. "I don't want to put you in a weird place Spencer…I just…" Robbie trailed off and Spencer knew that he didn't even know what to say.

"I know." She answered and Robbie smiled at Spencer.

"I really did love you." Robbie told Spencer and she nodded her head.

"Yeah Robbie. I liked you too…I just, I don't know anymore." Spencer admitted and Robbie nodded his head again.

"Figure it out Spencer. For everyone's sake."

Spencer nodded her head and took a step away from Robbie. "I will, I promise. And you'll be the first person to know what's going on." She promised and Robbie smiled at her.

"Okay Spencer. See you around okay?" He asked.

"Sure Robbie. 'Bye." Spencer said and turned away from Robbie.

Heaving a sigh Spencer wlaked quickly back to her dorm and felt glade that was over with. That had to have been the most uncomfortable situation she had been in since college.

Spencer glanced at her watch and realized she only had half an hour to get to class. Picking up her pace Spencer made it to her dorm roomk. While she was tossing books into her bag Spencer tried to figure out what her feelings for Ashley were exactly. Spencer knew that she liked Ashley, but Spencer didn't know if she was the one she wanted to date and be with. As Spencer sat on her bed she realized that if she did pcik Ashley she'd loose Robbie forever and if she picked Robbie she could most defiantly loose Ashley forever.

Sighing Spencer shook her head and tried to figure out what to do exactly. She liked Robbie, he was the first boy Spencer had been with seriously for a long time, and it was nice to be with him. Spencer wasn't completely truthful with him, so she couldn't be sure were they stood exactly, but she knew that when she was with him for those months that she dated him, she loved it. Thinking back on their breakup Spencer completely forgot why she even broke it off with him.

Robbie had been great to Spencer and he kept on being great to her even after they broke up. But there was something in the back of Spencer's mind as she dated Robbie and as she was with him. Seeing Ashley Spencer figured that it had been her. But Spencer couldn't even be sure.

And Ashley, she was amazing to Spencer. She was the girl who helped Spencer realize a part of herself that she had hidden for years for her family's sake. Ashley accepted Spencer and protected her and made her feel at home and safe. Ashley was that girl from the past who helped Spencer become herself.

Glancing back at her alarm clock Spencer stood off her bed and noted it was time for class. Spencer set her book bag strap on her shoulder and heaved another sigh. She'd figure it out after class, if at all.

000

After class Spencer made her way back to her dorm. As she approached the hall her dorm was in she saw Ashley sitting agasint her door. Spencer smiled as she saw Ashley and walked quickly down to her. "Hey…isn't Aubrey in?" Spencer asked pulling out her key.

Ashley shook her head as she pushed herself off the floor with both of her hands. "No. How was class?" Ashley asked crossing her arms over her stomach.

Spencer shrugged her shoulders and smiled at Ashley. "It was class." She answered and Ashley laughed.

"Which is why I'm so glade I'm not in school." Ashley stated as Spencer unlocked the door and swung it open.

Spencer laughed and shook her head. "I happen to like school." Spencer told Ashley.

Ashley rolled her eyes and shook her own head. "And that is why you're a freak." She answered.

Spencer let out another laugh and slugged Ashley playfully on the shoulder. "Shut up." She laughed out.

The touch brought an ackward feel to the room and Spencer cleared her throat quickly to break the silence. "S-so…how was Robbie?" Ashley asked plopping herself down on Spencer's bed.

"It was okay…I mean we're okay. But you know…he loves me." Spencer otld Ashley and Ashley shrugged her shoulders.

"So what…you guys are hooking back up?" Ashley asked staring at the ceiling.

Spencer shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know." She admitted.

"What do you mean?" Ashley asked, not breaking her gaze form the ceiling.

"I mean that I don't know about you or Robbie or anything." Spencer stated sitting next to Ashley on the bed.

"It's fine Spencer. I didn't come here to hook back up with you." Ashley told Spencer and Spencer rolled her eyes.

"Whatever Ashley." Spencer mumbled glancing at her old girlfriend.

"What?" Ashley asked sitting back up in the bed.

"I don't know! I mean, you would be pissed if I was with Robbie and just acted like we never happened." Spencer stated and Ashley slowly nodded her head.

"Yeah I would…but if that's the life you want Spencer have it." Ashley answered and Spencer shook her head.

"I don't know what to do." She breathed out.

Ashley adjusted herself on the bed and glanced at Spencer. "Earlier you did say you wanted to be with me. Then Robbie pops in and you're confused again?" Ashley asked and Spencer realized she was right. Spencer just didn't know what to do about any of it.

"I don't know!" Spencer exclaimed and Ashley quickly leaned over toward her and kissed her. "What was that?" Spencer asked after Ashley pulled back away.

"You just need to make up your mind and stick with it and be happy about it. Someone has to step up and apartently that's going to be me." Ashley snipped, a mad glare setting in on her face.

"Yeah I guess so." Spencer stated and glanced back at Ashley. Her lips tingled because of Ashley's touch against them and Spencer realized she wanted to feel it again. Spencer leaned over and kissed Ashley again on the lips.

Spencer fell into the kiss and forgot about everything, Robbie, school, her mom, friends, Aubrey, and just kissed Ashley like she used to in high school. Ashley reached her hands up to Spencer's neck and held her as she kissed Spencer back. Spencer moved her own fingers along Ashley's side as they fell against Spencer's headboard.

Spencer kissed Ashley and as their lips moved with each other Spencer recalled why she really loved Ashley in the first place. The memories from high school came flooding back to Spencer fast and it started to make sense to her. The feelings that Spencer had forgotten she had for Ashley sprung back into Spencer and Spencer liked the feeling.

At the sound of the doorknob turning Spencer sprung back off of Ashley as Aubrey walked into the room. "Hey guys!" Aubrey greeted the pair and Spencer nodded at her roommate.

"Hey." She said back. Licking her lips Spencer glanced at Ashley who was pulling at her clothes and smoothing her hair.

"What are you guys up to?" Aubrey asked and Spencer shrugged her shoulders.

"Not much." She stated and she heard Ashley let out a laugh.

"I have a date with Brain in a few…so I'll be out." Aubrey announced and Spencer nodded her head.

"Okay." She mumbled.

Spencer glanced back at Ashley and smiled at her, for the first time in awhile Spencer felt sure of her relationship status. Ashley was the person that she really loved, and even though the last time they had been together was high school Spencer figured that they could still manage it.

Ashley stood off the bed and started to pace around Spencer's room and Spencer tried to figure out what she was thinking. Raising her thumbnail to her mouth Ashley carefully chewed on it and Spencer watched her eyes flutter around the room. Sighing Spencer wished that Aubrey would be gone already so that they could talk to each other.

Spencer glanced back at Aubrey and saw her placing things in her bag, obviously she wasn't planning on returning that night. After tossing a few more things into the bag Aubrey glanced up at Spencer and smiled. "Okay, I'm out. See you later." She said and walked out of the room.

Spencer glanced back at Ashley once the door shut behind Aubrey and she smiled. "Well…" She said and Ashley glanced at her.

"Spencer…I want this either for real or not at all." Ashley stated taking her thumbnail out of her mouth. "I don't want your confused feelings or anything. I just want you or nothing."

Spencer nodded her head and looked back down at her bed. She was pretty sure that Ashley was what she wanted. "I think you're what I want." Spencer mumbled and Ashley sat back next to her on the bed.

"For real?" Ashley asked and Spencer met her glance.

Spencer thought about the question before answering it, she didn't want to do anything that would mess things up for Ashley. Spencer thought about Robbie nad her mom and knew they wouldn't be happy. For once though, Spencer didn't care. Spencer only cared about what she wanted, and at the moment she wanted Ashley Davies. "Yeah for real." She said and Ashley smiled at her.

"Okay." Ashley mumbled.

Spencer leaned forward and kissed Ashley on the lips again, sending shivers down her own spine.

Ashley welcomed the kiss as she leaned forward and fell on top of Spencer on the bed.