"Hey Spencer," Ashley called as she crawled out of John's car.

"Did you skip again; you know my mom is going to ground you." I replied like the geek I' am, god why can't I learn to keep my mouth shut.

"Yeah I did you going to tell?" she raised an eyebrow as we walked over to her car.

"No,"

"Than why bring it up?" I shrugged not knowing what to say because truly me bringing it up did sound like I was going to tattle on her and I could never do that to Ashley. We hopped in her car, she seemed distant than this morning, she kept her eyes on the road but unlike usual she kept side glancing me making my whole body tense.

In the mirror I saw John's SUV following, "Why is John following us?"

Ashley breathed deeply, her voice almost shaky and hesitant, "He's...um...I'm having a slumber party."

"With a guy?" I'm sure she heard the chuckle I was trying to hide.

"Yes with a guy, and his boyfriend and Lucy."

"Wait no, please no...How long like just for tonight?" she laughed nervously earning her my most famous spill know looks which oddly always made her tell me things.

"More like...theentireweektheparentsaregone..." she said in one whole breath.

"Huh, could you slow down and breathe like normal people?"

"I said," she started threw gritted teeth, "The entire time the parents are gone."

Ashley cringed as I screamed, it I wasn't pissed I would have been laughing, "No, that's not fair Ashley."

"What's not fair?"

"I have to deal with them at school and now home,"

"No one is going to mess with you okay?" the tone in her voice made me relax, I believed her but I didn't want her to know that.

"Yeah right, you're going to help," I seethed staring out the window. Ashley sighed sadly beside me but I ignored all her attempts to talk. She pulled up to the driveway and I yet again jump out heading inside listening to her call my name.

"Spencer is that you?" my dad called from the kitchen. Dropping my backpack on the floor I headed to the kitchen, "Hey how was school?" he asked as he shoved some pudding cups and chips in a lunch bag.

"Great," sitting down on a stool grabbing an apple, "I sat with the senior cheerleaders today and I'm no longer a trainee. They made me a full fledge cheerleader,"

"That's wonderful Spencer,"

"It's still just for the freshman side,"

"Don't be modest honey, I'm so proud of you for making the team," he came over and wrapped me up in a big bear hug.

"Well Madison, she's the new captain asked me to come over to her house later for practice, I can go right?"

"Of course you can, do you have a ride?"

"Yep, Ashley said she'd give me one over there."

"Aren't you two getting close," he chuckled, "Anyway I'm picking up your brothers and your mother than we are hitting the road...I'll tell them the good news. Your mother will probably want to take you out for a celebratory dinner when we get back," he smiled and ruffled my hair.

"Watch it," I laughed trying to fix the damage he'd done.

"We'll be back next Sunday night, our phone is on at all times so don't hesitant to call." He kissed my forehead and picked up the lunch bag walking to the living room, "Ashley..."

She turned around from talking with her friends who all but inhabited one chair in the living room, "Yeah?"

"No parties, rules are to be followed even if we are not here including bed times, no television after nine o' clock and homework done before anything else, got it?" he pointed at her.

"No problem," she saluted him in mock earning a few giggles from her group of friends.

"Right," he smiled knowingly, "I guess we will see you guys Sunday night than." He hugged me and Ashley and walked out the door. I watched the car until it disappeared around the corner before dashing for the stairs only to be caught by the arm.

"Where you going?" Ashley asked.

"My room to get ready for practice at Madison's," she had a tight grip on my arm but with a quick twist she released it.

"About that," she stated, "You're not going."

"What?" my voice trembled, "You said you'd take me."

"I know but..."

I cut her off taking a step up the stairs away from her, "No buts Ash you said you would take me and dad gave me permission, I'm allowed to go."

"Well I'm in charge now that he's gone and you can't go," she sounded like she was on the verge of crying but I didn't care, what right did she have to take this away from me.

"Fine then I'll call him and tell him what you're doing?" coming down the stairs I picked up the hall phone only to have it yanked away by Max, "Give it back!"

"Sorry kid it's for your own good," he sounded genuine.

"Give it back!" I stomped my foot and tried to jump up and grab it but he is a very large muscular guy and there was really no way I was getting it back.

"Spencer calm down," Ashley calmly laid a hand on my shoulder securing me to the ground.

Yanking away I scooped my back pack up, "Your not being fair...I'm going to Madison's,"

"How?"

"I'll walk if I have to, dad already said I could go so I won't get in trouble, besides it's only like thirty minutes from here," before I was a step out the door John had me over his shoulder carrying me into the house and placing me on the couch, "Let go of me!"

He stepped back with his hands up, "Chill..."

"Chill...CHILL!" I was beyond upset at this moment, "You guys are ganging up on me telling me I can't do something that I'm allowed to do and you want to chill...FUCK YOU!"

"Watch that mouth kid," Lucy warned.

"Or what?" I stood up only to have Max push me back down on the couch.

"You don't want to find out," she stepped forward.

"Stop it all of you," Ashley spoke harshly gaining silent obedience from all of us, she bent down so she was eye level with me since I was still sitting on the couch, "Spencer listen," I looked away and folded my arms, she reached out placing her hand on my thigh rubbing soothingly, "Listen...I'm sorry okay but you can't go."

"Why?" tears threatened to spill and my strength was crumbling as my voice quivered.

Sighing, her brown eyes stared deeply into my blue ones as if she was trying to use it to tell me, "I just can't let you go..."

I stood up pushing Max's hand away as he tried to push me down again, Ashley stood up quickly as well, "That isn't a real reason. Just because you hate Madison doesn't mean I have to...why Ashley why can't I go?"

"You just can't Spence,"

"Don't call me that, I hate you...you hear me I hate you Ashley. You're just a temporary around here; you'll leave like everyone else so you know what foster kid stay the fuck away from me." I yelled feeling guilty the moment it left my mouth, tears streaming down my face as I saw liquid make its way into the corner of her brown orbs pain etched across her face.

"Watch it Spencer," Lucy growled.

"You too, this isn't even your house so leave..." I pointed to the door.

"Can't do that," she crossed her arms.

"I'll call my parents and they'll make you leave,"

"I've had about enough of you," John sighed scooping me up again over his shoulder and headed for the basement where he threw me into Clay's padded room and locking the door on his way out.

"Hey let me out!" I screamed over and over again banging on the door, tears crawling down my cheeks soaking my shirt, "I hate all you...Ashley let me the fuck out!" when they didn't answer I started kicking at the door, clawing it anything to break out but it was useless so instead I laid down in the corner and cried my self to sleep.

XXXX

"She didn't mean it," Lucy rubbed my back trying to take away the hurt I felt.

"Yes she did, she hates me," my voice wobbled.

"Spencer's upset, she'll cool down," Max offered as he sat in the chair running a hand thru his full head of hair.

"I'd hate me too," and I would. No one in this room would let some one tell them what to do and we really had no good explanation on why she couldn't go.

"Ashley it's for her own good," John exited the basement door.

"What'd you do?"

"Put her in the padded room," he plopped down on the arm rest of Max's chair, "She's real upset," he spoke after a while as he thought of the loud screams echoing from inside the room which faded the closer he got upstairs and at the top of the stairs the sound stopped altogether, "I didn't know a girl that small could have that big of a temper especially sweet and innocent Spencer."

"People are capable of lots of things," Max reminded him with a kiss on the cheek.

"Yeah remember Harold,"

"The AV geek?" Lucy asked trying to place the name.

"That's him, went all murder/suicide on us because he couldn't handle the gang fights any more."

"Didn't he kill the English teacher Mrs. Harrison?" I asked.

"Yep, at least she was part of the Cryptic's and not one of ours,"

"Like that makes it better," Lucy rolled her eyes, "We fight on the battle field not at school or anywhere else."

"She's right, we can't let people know what's really going on, they can't handle it." I stated as the tears subsided, my heart broke when she'd yelled at me, all the breath inside swept away leaving me lightheaded with a hole where my heart should have been.

"Everything will work out Ash," Max smiled, "She'll calm down..."

"She has every right to be mad,"

"Yes she does," John agreed, "But she had no right to say what she did."

"We'll just leave her down there for a while, until then let's try and save this day from being a total bummer." Lucy suggested. Nodding we decided to make it a movie night with pizza and soda.

John and Lucy headed for the movie store while Max ordered our food and I got the surround sound set up. By the time the other two got back it was almost seven, the phone went off as Max and John went to the kitchen for cups and Lucy was out side for a cigarette break.

"Carlin Residence," I answered professionally.

"Davies put Carlin on the phone," Madison...damn what do I say...

"Um she's not here right now..."

"You don't sound so sure," she snickered, "Where she at we have practice?"

"Stay away from her,"

"Oh, Davies getting a back bone how sweet. What are you talking about?"

"We know okay," the phone was silent for a while...only our heavy breathing echoed thru the receiver.

"Guess the competitions going to be a lot more fun," she laughed and hung up. I hope I didn't screw anything up by letting her know we know...damn it!

"Hey pizza's here," Lucy called coming in with two large pizzas in her arms, "Can some one go get the sodas and pay the guy."

"On it," I replaced the phone and searched my purse for money, paid the guy and got the four sodas taking them to the kitchen where John and Max were having a very heated make out session.

"Eww guys, I think I lost my appetite," Lucy grimaced.

"More meat for us," John laughed at Lucy who started to gag.

"Sorry boys no meat lovers here," she gestured to me and herself.

"No worries we don't go vegetable anyway." Max smirked and slapped his boyfriend on the ass.

"Can we stop with all the innuendos and eat already," I asked getting slightly grossed out. They all laughed, "Wait...Spencer." We set our plates down and headed down stairs.

Lucy unlocked the door than stepped back and allowed me to enter first; my eyes scanned the dark room which made me feel worse as Spencer hates being in the dark by her self, I saw her curled in a ball sleeping. The light seeping in thru the door right on her face, dried tears caked on her cheeks, sighing I walked over and kneeled down running my hand thru her blond hair, "Spencer wake up sweetie..." I whispered and gently shook her. She whimpered for a second before becoming fully awake to where she jumped out of my reach, hanging my head I gathered the courage to face her again and lifted my eyes to stare at hers only to find she wouldn't look me in the eyes, that hurt so much because she always looked me in the eyes, it was an unspoken rule between us.

"Get away from me," she pushed hair out of her face but it fell down again.

"Spencer...we have pizza and movies, come upstairs and hang out."

"Hang out with you after what you did, why is it going to make you feel better?" she put emphasis on the word you as if I was doing this for my own pleasure but she didn't know the full extent of danger she was in and I was sworn not to tell.

"I don't want to fight,"

"Now," she cut me off.

"Ever!" I barked causing her to tense and lean further back, grinding my teeth trying not to lose my patience I tried again, "Please...please just come up and eat dinner and watch movies with us...with me?" as I finished I tucked the loose hair behind her ear where it stayed in place.

Swallowing she licked her lips as her blue eyes flickered up to mine and we held the stare for a moment before she glanced down again, I pray one day she'll be able to look me in the eyes with as much love and happiness as she did before today.

"I' am hungry," she said quietly.

"Good, come on," I stood up and held my hand out for her but she refused and got up on her own. Sighing we all made our way upstairs to the kitchen for the food and to the living room to watch the movies.

"What did you get?" Max wondered as he plopped down in a chair.

"Comedy, animation, horror and comedy romance."

"Right wouldn't just want romance now would we?"

"No way plain romance is for chicks, a comedy romance has something for guys to," John nodded as if that explained everything. We all decided on animation, comedy romance, comedy and last but not least horror.

John and Max got up and sat in the love seat where Paula and Arthur usually sit and Lucy took one of the chairs while I sat on the couch and Spencer not wanting to be near any of us sat on the floor.

The atmosphere lightened considerable as we all enjoyed the movies, the time on the clock ticked by nine o' clock but I said nothing of Spencer's bed time as we continued to watch. By ten Lucy put in the horror movie and turned off all side table lights making the room go pitch black until the images started showing up. I watched Spencer more than anything, the way her eyes bugged out and she scooted further away as it got scarier and scarier, how the flicker of the lights danced on her creamy white skin and the side view gave her lips the perfect kissable look.

"Spencer come up here with," I called for her but she only shook her head no with out looking at me. A few minutes later and she scooted back even further, "Spencer come on...please I'm getting scared," I told her which was far from the truth as this movie was B rated and had horrible effects but when you don't get to watch to many like her these things tend to scary the crap out of you.

"Fine," she relented crawling on the floor so she didn't disturb anyone's view and cuddled into me like normal, "Just because you're scared," she breathed in.

"Fine by me," I smiled loving the feeling of her body pressed against mine. Soon her soft breathing notified me that she was asleep, safe and warm in my arms where she had no cares in the world. Kissing the top of her head I whispered in her ear, "I really am sorry Spence, I'll make it up to you soon I promise baby," I kissed her cheek this time relishing the feeling of her heated skin upon my lips. Glancing around I saw Max asleep in John's arms, John stroking his fingers thru the boy's hair, he was asleep as well. Lucy got up and turned on a side lamp...shut the television off and we all fell into a deep sleep. Hoping tomorrow things would be better.

TBC.