A/N": Ok, I haven't read DOD in a while so I don't know how M.L.'s house is set up. I've made it so that her room has an adjoining bathroom. If there are any inconsistencies, sue me. I'm sure I've mentioned the fact that I'm a penniless hobo so it won't do you much good.
M. L.:
"Carter residence. This is Mary-Lynnette speaking."
"Hey Mary-Lynnette, it's Poppy. Remember, you called Ash's apartment about a week ago and I answered. I told you he was on another assignment for Circle Daybreak."
"Yes, I remember. What's up?"
"Ash wanted me to call you and tell you he's on his way over."
"Ok. Just outta curiosity, why couldn't he call me himself."
"Oh, um, well Ash is a bit busy at the moment."
"With what exactly?"
"Just a little fight with his sisters. He left in a hurry about ten minutes ago and asked me to call you."
Sigh. "What were they fighting about this time? Did anyone get hurt?"
"Oh no. Ash came home covered in mud and then sat on the couch." Giggle. "When Rowan came in and started scolding him, he blamed it on Jade. Then while Jade was under fire, Ash tried to sneak off upstairs, but Kestrel let it slip that Ash hadn't fed in like, a week, so he left before he could get into anymore trouble."
"Wait a minute, back up. What do you mean Ash hasn't fed? Is he alright?"
"Oh I'm sure he's fine, Rowan's just a worrywart. Anyway, that was about ten or fifteen minutes ago so he should be there any minute. I would've called earlier but Rowan was in the kitchen where the phone is and I didn't want her to hear me. Oh, that reminds me, Ash said that if Rowan or anyone calls looking for him, you should say you haven't seen him since this morning. I gotta go, Jade's coming. Bye." *Click*
"Huh. Well that was odd," I muttered, hanging the phone up. Before I could do anything else, I heard an insistent tapping on my window. I went over to the bathroom door and grabbed my robe from the hook on the back. Tossing my towel in the dirty clothes bin, I tied my robe snuggly and went over to the window, throwing open the curtains. Ash was crouched on the ledge, looking for all intents and purposes, like a wild man who's never seen civilization before.
"Hi sweetheart," he mouthed at me with a grin.
I opened the window and just looked at him for a second.
"So you gonna let me in or what?"
"Um. Um. Honey?"
"Yeah?"
"What happened? I mean I know you were pretty dirty when you left but I distinctly remember you didn't look quite that bad."
"Oh, that. I, uh, sort of tripped and fell into a puddle of mud."
"I see."
"So can I come in?"
I looked at him a bit hesitantly. "Ash, your filthy. I mean really."
Ash just rolled his eyes at me. "I am not that dirty."
"Yes you are."
"Ok I am, but you're not gonna just leave me hanging out here are you?" he said, making puppy dog eyes at me. I just sighed and shook my head, stepping back so he could come in.
"I am gonna have to insist that you shower. You're all dirty and you smell, really bad."
"Fair enough." Then, "I don't suppose I could convince you to join me," he said, grinning wolfishly.
"C'mon," I said, rolling my eyes and blushing as I led him over to the bathroom. I grabbed a couple of towels and a bar of soap from the closet and placed them beside the sink. "You can use these. And put your clothes in here and just place it by the door," I said, handing over an empty trashcan. "I'll put them in the wash while you shower."
"Thanks Mare," he said, leaning in to give me a kiss.
"Whoa! Back it up! You can kiss me after you've cleaned up," I said, closing the door on him before he could protest. I was heading downstairs to grab something to drink when I heard him moan melodramatically in my head.
~Hurt! Wounded! Cut to the quick!~
~The sooner you stop whining the sooner you'll finish your shower and you'll be able to kiss me then.~
~All the kisses in the world won't heal my pain beloved. You have crushed me. I know not how to mend my broken heart.~
~Oh for gods sake Ash!~
~Fear not sweet Mary-Lynnette, I have come up with a salve for my wounds,~ he said, sending me a mental image of him wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.
~I'm sure you have,~ I replied sarcastically, knowing what was coming next.
"Mare?"
I swear I must've jumped 10 ft. in the air. I'd had my back towards the stairs so I didn't see Mark step into the hall. "Mark! What the hell are you doing sneaking around like that."
"So where is he?"
"Where's who?"
"Waldo," Mark replied sarcastically. Then, after I just continued to stare at him wide eyed, "Ash, I'm looking for Ash. Or more accurately his sisters are looking for him. So where is he?"
"I have no idea."
Before Mark could respond Ash started singing. Well, he tried anyway.
"Oh the shark has, such big teeth dear. And he keeps them, pearly white. Just a jack kniiife, has old Mac Heath a-de-he-hear."
Mark and I just looked at each other. There were really no words that could describe this. Finally we cracked up, laughing so hard tears were streaming down our faces as Ash just kept warbling on in the background.
Shaking his head Mark headed off towards his room. "Just make sure he feeds sometime soon. Apparently he skipped a couple meals and you know how Rowan gets."
"Alright. You're not gonna tell them he's here are you?"
"Nah, don't worry about it."
"Thanks."
"Yeah whatever, just tell him to keep his hands to himself."
"Now on the side walk, huh, huh, ooo Sunday mornin' uhuh. Lies a body, just a oozin' life. Eek! And someone's sneakin' round the corner."
"And for the love of god tell him to stop singing."
"I make no guarantees," I laughed, heading downstairs to the kitchen.
Sorry it's taken so long for me to update. Aside from not being able to access ffnet, I've nearly run outta memory on my hard drive so it's been causing my comp to crash a lot. I've added more so I should be able to finish up another chapter by the end of the week if not sooner.
Bunny
