I actually ended up writing two different scenarios for this next chapter, and I ended up choosing this one. Probably not what the readers expect, but I like to try and keep you guessing.

Enjoy. R & R!

Chapter 8 – The Past Has A Way of Sneaking Up on You

Ashley's POV

I had opened my eyes to the same white, bland walls that I had woken up to a few days ago.

"Shit."

I really need to stop waking up in hospitals. It should be my new resolution for being back in Los Angeles now.

"Ashley?" a familiar voice said before a blonde appeared before my eyes.

Crap... not this again. Please tell me I did not go back again, my head can only take so much.

"Is she awake?" a higher voice said as I felt someone jump on legs. "Ashley!"

Wait... that sounds like Dani.

"I hear a little monster." I whisper as I lean forward and see Danielle on my legs.

"We were worried about you." Danielle said while pouting and making her way up further on the hospital bed.

"I'm sorry Dani." I replied throwing my arms out to her and she jumped into them.

This kid...

"What happened Spence?" I asked as I placed Dani beside me on the bed.

"You passed out. The doctor said your blood pressure was too low and your brain wasn't getting enough oxygen. They said it was probably just your body trying to repair itself from your crash and that it hadn't fully recovered yet."

"How long have I been out for?"

Please don't say weeks.

"Just the night, Dani and I brought you here and decided to stay just in case you woke up in the night and didn't know where you were."

Phew...

"You stayed the night? Spencer, you didn't have to... why didn't just call Kyla?"

"They did..." Kyla said coming into the room with some coffees. "But this little kid right here didn't want to leave." Kyla pointed to Dani who just sat there with a big grin on her face before nuzzling her head into my shoulder. "You really need to stop waking up in hospitals, Ash."

"I'm feeling fine, thanks for asking Kyla." I say sarcastically, ignoring her last comment.

The same doctor I had before came in shortly after.

"Hello again Miss Davies. You seem to like it here don't you?" He joked while picking up my chart at the end of my bed. "So we monitored your blood pressure over night and it has seemed to go back up which is good news. Your brain wasn't getting enough oxygen which is why you passed out. You were also a little dehydrated which could be the cause of your low blood pressure hence why we have an IV in you right now just to get fluids back in your body. Everything else seems to be okay so we should be able to release you in a few hours. Do you have any questions?"

"No, I just want to get out of here..."

"Well I will be back in a few hours to check on you before we release you." The doctor said while putting the chart back on the end of my bed.

"Thank you doctor." I replied while he left the room.

"So you're going to be okay?" Dani said while poking me gently on the shoulder.

"Looks like it, I'm sorry for giving you guys such a scare, all of you." I replied looking at the three faces around my bed.

"I'm getting used to picking your butt up at the hospital." Kyla joked while taking a seat beside Spencer in the chairs beside my bed.

"Well monster... we have to get going." Spencer said getting up and picking up Danielle off the bed. "We'll leave Ashley to get some rest."

"Okay mommy, see you later okay Ashley?"

"Later Dani, I'll see you when I get out of here. And thanks for everything Spencer."

"No worries, I'm just glad you're okay. Call me when you get out." Spencer replied as she and Danielle walked out of the room.

I sat there smiling as I watched the two girls leave the room. I completely forgot that Kyla was still there until she coughed to try and get my attention.

"So although I would've liked to talk about this in better circumstances, I have to ask after arriving and seeing those two in your room." Kyla said standing up and coming closer to my bed.

"Kyla... we are just friends. Neither of us is ready for that again." I said assuring her that nothing was going on between us.

"The look on her face all night, did not look like a 'just friends' look, and don't even get me started on the way her daughter acted around you. Both of them are falling in love with you. You've been awake for like three days."

"Kyla, I told you, we are JUST friends. I couldn't do that to her again, especially now that she has Dani because it wouldn't just be Spencer I'd be better hurting this time around, it'd be that little girl too. All we did yesterday was go to the beach and have dinner, it was nothing."

"The beach... like your special place on the beach?" Kyla asked while crossing her arms in front of me.

Right. I forgot I tell Kyla everything.

I couldn't possibly lie to her, but the look in my face told her the answer she was looking for.

"See, so not friends."

Okay so maybe we weren't just friends, but with our history, how could we?

"Okay, so maybe I do want more and that's why I tracked her down so quickly after waking up, but I told you, I couldn't do that to Spencer. Things are such more complicated now and with Danielle, I can't put Spencer in a position like that."

"Just be careful, as much as you're worried about hurting them, you could be equally be hurting yourself by getting too involved with Spencer again, even if it's just as friends." Kyla said, now sitting down on my bed and taking a hold of my hand. "Get some rest, and I'll be back in a few hours when they release you."

As Kyla left, I settled back into my bed and slowly drifted off to sleep.

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Kyla came back a few hours later and took me home after the hospital released me. I called Spencer informing her I was out of the hospital, but I still needed a lot of rest so I wouldn't be seeing her for a few days. I really only needed a nights worth of rest, but I decided I'd listen to Kyla and give myself a bit of space from her and Danielle for a bit. It gave me time to start up the label here and get it going off the ground, and right now that was my priority.

My assistant, Rebekah, from my office back in Europe had flown over a week after I came and was here staying in Los Angeles too so she could help me start up the company. Rebekah had been with me from the very beginning and was one of my best friends I had during the ten years I was over in Europe. While I was unconscious, she was working away hiring people to remodel the studio and offices as well as recruit scouters and executives. Like I said, Rebekah was amazing, she knew exactly what I wanted done and she did it. She was my crutch when I first arrived in Europe after dealing with not being with Spencer. Of course, that was before I went back and changed the future, so now I didn't know what our relationship was like, I was hoping it hadn't changed.

"Alright, good morning everyone, I'd like to officially welcome you to Davies Records, if you haven't met me yet, you probably should have because I'm Ashley Davies. To the right of me, this is Nathan Walker, he's the vice president. If you haven't met him either then you probably shouldn't be in the room right now. First meeting so let's make it good, what do you have?"

We went around the room hearing from all the scouters, each of which presented one or two bands or artists they had discovered around the area. Some were decent, but nothing near what I needed for my first Los Angeles sign. I sent the team away telling them to keep looking for the night as I went to my office and decided to make a more than needed call.

"Tell me why I am working again?" I asked into the phone.

"Because you love music and do not want to be the stereotypical princess who lives off their daddy's fortune. Plus if you didn't, you would die from boredom."

"Yeah I would probably die from boredom..." I laughed as Rebekah knocked and came into my office. "One second, Rebekah just came in."

Click.

"Hey Becks, what's up?" I asked while putting my call on hold.

"I wanted to ask what time you wanted the reservations to be tonight?" Rebekah walked closer and sat on my desk, crossing her legs in front of me.

"What's tonight?"

"Our anniversary? I'm sorry you probably haven't even had time to think about it with your accident and everything." Rebekah said while grabbing my hand tenderly.

Our anniversary? Our anniversary for wha -- oh my god. This is so not good.

"So 8pm at Koi?" Rebekah caressed my hand and before I could respond got up from off the table and walked out the room.

Still not completely understanding what just happened, my phone beeped, notifying me I still had my call on hold.

Click.

"Sorry about that, uh I'm going to have to take a rein check on tonight's dinner. Becks just told me about this reservation tonight that I have at Koi. Maybe I can ask her to make it earlier so I can swing by after because I really want to see you."

"Okay, well just let me know, I'm sure Dani would love to see you. She's been saying all week how she misses you."

"Okay Spence, I'll let you go be your big film producer self. I'll call you tonight and let you know if I can make it over. Bye."

"Bye Ash."

Click.

I quickly got up and dashed to find Becks so she could change our reservations to 6pm. I had no idea what I was going to do with that whole situation, but I didn't want to think about it until I knew more. All I knew was how I felt and where my heart lied, and even if nothing happened, it was with Spencer.

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I didn't go out and get anything for Becks, even if it was a romantic anniversary, I didn't want to lead her. My heart would forever be Spencer's, and as long as it took for both of us to get to that place again, I would wait. I still showed up looking nice at Koi, where Becks was already waiting for me.

"Hey, you look gorgeous." Becks commented as I made my way to the table.

Crap.

"Hey Becks. So my memory has been a bit fuzzy since the accident, what anniversary is this again?"

There is no other way of asking her... I need to know for sure, and for how long.

"It's our four year anniversary." Becks said while grabbing my hand from across the table and caressing it with her thumb.

I tried to be subtle by pulling it back and scratching my forehead, looking confused, but I think she picked up on it a bit as the face she returned did not look very happy.

Four years? Shit.

Thankfully before I had to respond, the waiter came and asked to take our order and saved me some time.

"So I feel as though I need to be honest with you Becks, because we've been through so much together and you've been by my side ever since I originally left Los Angeles. When I came back here, I tracked down Spencer..."

"Spencer? Like Spencer Carlin, love of your life, Spencer Carlin?" She said furiously.

Yeah, this probably isn't going to go very well.

"Yes, that Spencer... I didn't think it was fair to you."

"Wait, are you breaking up with me because she's back?" Becks stood up and raised her voice so that others were now staring at us.

Definitely not going very well.

"Becks, please sit down, you're making a scene. I'm just trying to be honest with you. This whole accident has kind of given me a different perspective on life and I don't want to hold you back from living your life to the fullest. And I know you won't live it the fullest with me." I said, as she sat back down in her seat and people began to get back to their own conversations and dinners.

"I just don't understand how you've been back three weeks and you're ready to throw away a four year relationship for that didn't even make it through high school." Becks replied as she began to cry.

I couldn't really answer that question... I mean I didn't know what our four year relationship was like. I didn't know what I was like. All I knew was that I loved Becks, but I was IN love with Spencer. Becks was just my best friend, my very dear best friend.

"... it's Spencer." It was the only thing that I could come up with, and at the same time, she understood completely.

I met Becks the first month I arrived in Europe. I was hiring an assistant and I had met ten lousy ones before she walked in. We clicked instantly in the interview and she had a great resume. I took her on and eventually she became my right hand to everything. Becks wasn't the average looking assistant, she could've been something much more if she really wanted to. She had medium length brown hair with a French origin. She was rather short, but her body was very petite so it worked. I didn't even realize she was gay, I guess that's another thing that changed when I changed the past.

"I can't believe you're doing this..." Becks mumbled as she cupped her face, hiding her tears.

"Becks, you're my best friend and under any other circumstances I would never want to hurt you."

The waiter finally brought our meals out as Becks tried to stop crying as it was drawing attention to us once again.

"Did you still want to have dinner or would you like me to leave?" I asked, being considerate of her feelings on whether she still wanted me here or not.

"It's fine..." She mumbled as she continued to wipe her eyes and sniffle. "You might as well stay and eat, I'd rather not be left here to eat alone."

"Are we going to be okay? I mean are we going to still be able to be friends and work together?"

"I don't know. I think I need to take a break from work, if you don't mind. I need time to think things through before I make up my mind." She replied, beginning to eat her meal.

I nodded back and began eating as well. The rest of the meal was done in silence, as expected. At the end of the meal, Becks got up from the table without saying a word to me. I expected her to be mad, but I thought she'd at least say goodbye or something.

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I felt bad leaving Becks like I did, but I had no other choice. If I had left it, I would be leading her onto something that wasn't real for me, and after everything we had been through in the life I remember, I owed her at least the truth. I knew it was going to be awkward at work now too because I couldn't possibly fire her after all of this, and I hoped she wouldn't quit. She had been with me since the beginning, and I would hate to lose someone who I truly trust.

It was just past seven, so I knew Spencer would still be up and maybe even Dani would be too.

"Hi Spence, I just finished dinner, is it alright if I come over or is it too late?"

"Oh hey Ashley, yeah we're just finishing up here so we should be done when the time you get here. Did you want to talk to Dani?"

Is that even a question...

"Sure, I'd love to, put her on the phone."

I heard a bit of rustling which I assumed was Spencer passing the phone to Danielle, before her tiny voice came on. "Ashley?"

"Yeah squirt, it's me. So I just wanted to ask you if it was alright if I came over tonight, would that be okay?"

"Yeah! I haven't seen you since you were in the hospital, I didn't know if you were alright or not." Her voice got lower as she talked. "Are you alright?"

"Of course, I'm sorry I haven't seen you lately, I've just been very busy with work, but I promise I'll try and see you more often. How about you go pick out a board game for when I get there, okay?"

"Really? Okay! I'm going to go pick out my favourite game. I've got to go, my mom is telling me I have to finish my dinner, but I'll see you when you get here. Bye Ashie!"

"Bye squirt, see you soon."

There was more rustling and then Spencer came back on the phone.

"You have no idea how excited you make that girl when she hears that you're coming over. I swear it's like she's in a candy shop." Spencer said while laughing.

I loved Spencer's phone voice.

"I guess I just have that effect on kids."

"At least my kid you do... so we'll see you soon then?"

"Yeah, I should be there soon, I'm just down in West Hollywood."

"You always loved that sushi place, Koi right?"

It amazed me how good of a memory this girl has.

"Yeah, it's my fav. I'll see you soon, Spence. Bye"

"Bye Ash."

Click.

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"B-4."

"Hit. You sunk my battleship..." I said while putting a red mark into my last ship.

I just lost at Battleship to a five year old... and I was actually trying. How sad is that?

"I told you I was good at this game!" Dani yelled as she did a little victory dance in front of me.

"Oh yeah? How good are you at a tickle fight?" I asked while jumping up and picking her up off the ground and plopping both of us on the couch as I began to tickle her.

"No fair, you're bigger than me!" The little girl screamed as she tried to squirm her way out.

"No, I'm just better than you at this." I laughed as I continued to tickle the girl who was on my lap. Just then, Spencer walked into the room and all she could do was stand there and shake her head at the sight of Dani and I in a full out tickle fight.

"You two are ridiculous, you know that. I can't leave you alone for one second." Spencer said, pulling Dani off of me and putting her down on the other side of the room. "Behave you two." She said while pointing at both of us, who were glaring back at each other and laughing.

"Oh come on Spence, we're just having some fun." I said, continuing to laugh. "Plus I totally had to get Dani back for killing me at Battleship."

"Well you're going to have to get her back another time since it's Dani's bedtime. Come on monster, up to bed." Spencer said, rubbing Danielle's hair and patting on her the back before taking her hand. "I'll be right back as soon as I put her to bed."

The two of them left to go upstairs while I waited on the couch for Spencer to return. I felt my cell phone go off in my pocket and as I dug it out, I saw that I had one new message. I opened up my phone to read it was from Becks.

"I'm going to go back to Europe, I don't know if I'm going to come back but I'll let you know in two weeks. – Becks xox"

I really hoped it didn't come down to her not returning, I really needed her as my friend. I don't know where I would've been without her over the past ten years, she held me together. By the time I was done thinking about what Becks was going to do, Spencer had made her way back down the stairs and was watching me stare at the ground, dazing off about Becks.

"You alright Ash?" Spencer asked with a concerned look on her face as she walked over and sat down beside me on the couch.

"Yes, sorry I was just thinking about Becks. She just texted me saying she's going back to Europe for a while."

Or maybe forever.

"Going back to Europe? Don't you need her here to help out with the new location?"

"Well I mean I don't need her help, but it's certainly a lot easier with her around. Truth is, we got in a fight and she just needs time away right now."

Do I really want to tell her that I had been in a relationship with her for four years, except it wasn't really me but another version of me? Wow this is getting way too confusing... no wonder I keep fainting.

"What did you get in a fight about?" Spencer asked, grabbing my hand and showing her concern.

I guess that was the obvious question, and I can't really lie to her.

"You know how I've kind of been forgetting things lately, ever since my accident..." I started saying and she nodded in compliance. "Well apparently I was involved with Becks for four years, like a relationship. That's why I was at Koi tonight, it was supposed to be our anniversary, but I ended up breaking up with her... I can't be in a relationship that I don't remember or one with whom I don't have that kind of feelings for. She took it rather badly so she's going back to Europe to clear her head."

"You don't remember being with her at all?"

"No... I mean when I try to remember my past, it's completely different from what people tell me happened. To me, she was just my best friend and I don't want to lose that."

"Well maybe you won't. Just give her time, she'll come around." Spencer said trying to comfort me. It was working... "Did you want to watch a movie or something to try and take your mind off of it?"

"Sure... go ahead and pick something out. Anything but horror, you know how I hate those."

As Spencer went to go look for a movie, I went and grabbed us a blanket so we wouldn't be cold. When I had returned, Spencer was sitting on the couch with the remote in her hand, obviously waiting for me to come back. I sat down beside her and put the blanket over both our legs before she pressed play.

As the beginning credits began to play I realized that Spencer had chosen P.S. I Love You as the movie, which wasn't exactly what I was aiming for but I wasn't going to complain. Within the hour, we found both of us yawning and crying along to the movie and within an hour and a half, we had both fallen asleep on the couch, with Spencer's head leaning against my shoulder.

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A/N: So like I said, I wrote two different scenarios for this chapter. I was going to go originally with the one where Ashley went back in time, but I wanted to keep Dani around and I figured if I went back in the story, things wouldn't turn out the same and I wouldn't have her around.

This chapter was a bit filler-ish as I had to start a bit on Ashley's music label and introduce some new characters to the mix. Ashley's life over in Europe definitely did change after she went back, even more than her relationship with Becks.

I did want to send Ashley back one more time, but with the storyline I don't know if I will or not. Anyways thanks again for sticking with this story and all of your reviews. They keep me inspired to keep up with the story so keep 'em coming!

Chapter might come a bit slower as I'm getting into a busier week, but I will try and update every few days or so.

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