Hey again! Here's your nightly update, I had soooo much fun writing it, may I suggest you listen to Amy Macdonald's 'This is the Life' as you listen to the concert section. Hopefully will explain Ashley's actions - I found myself doing it when I listened to the song anyway!!
Well, enjoy :D

Finding The Story

Chapter 10

After the morning's unusual events Spencer felt good about everything again. She felt comfortable with Ashley at last, and finally believed she could write this story. Not just the usual drabble about the singer being a total bitch, but about the singer being devoted to her fans, humble when it was required and for some as yet, unknown reason, very shy about singing her more heart-felt songs. I will get to the bottom of that little mystery…

She spent the rest of her morning showering and getting herself ready for the day. She was just slipping her shoes on to go for a walk around the neighbourhood when her room phone began to ring. Jesus, this thing has THE worst timing.

"Hello?"

"Miss Carlin?" The receptionist asked.

"Speaking."

"Oh good afternoon, I'm just phoning to inform you that there's a package waiting for you down in the lobby. Could you come and collect it please?"

"A package? Umm…yeah sure, I'll be right down." She replaced the phone and left her room, pondering what on earth she had waiting for her, and who would bother to send her anything?

"She walked into the lobby and went to the desk, requesting the delivery, when two hands covered her eyes from behind. Once she had gotten over the initial shock, Spencer realised that she recognised the faint smelling mix of orange washing detergent and cigarette smoke.

"CARMEN!!?" The hands dropped from Spencer's eyes and went to her back, as the blonde turned to face her visitor, pulling her into a huge hug. "What are you doing here?!"

"Thought I'd come surprise you. James called and said you were having a hard time, so I got some time off work. Besides, I missed your attempt at cooking." She smiled as she was playfully punched on her arm.

"I missed you too Carm, how long you staying?" Spencer released her flatmate, and led her to the side of the reception desk.

"Well, I was going to come and see if you wanted to hang out tonight, and then stay with some friends out here, seeing as you'll be flying on again soon?"

Spencer looked down briefly, realising just how little time she had to spend with her friend. "Tomorrow."

"Well then, we'll have to get a shifty on then! Can I leave my bags in your room for now?" She gestured to the oversized rucksack and picked it up onto her back.

"Sure, sure, stay with me tonight yeah?"

The raven haired girl smiled an acceptance, but required one deal to be made. "But we eat out ok?" One again she felt a faint sting on the top of her arm.

The two girls spent all day exploring the local area, sampling delights from nearby bars and meeting up with some of Carmen's old college friends. Spencer absentmindedly glanced at her watch and realised the time. Yes, she said she would miss the first half of Ashley's show, not the whole thing!

Getting Carmen to agree to leave wasn't hard at all, Spencer only had to mention that they could go backstage and Carmen was hailing a cab. Traffic was quiet so they arrived quickly, calming Spencer's nerves about not keeping her promise to the singer. Kyla met them at the door and presented Carmen with her very own V.I.P pass; she then led them to the side of the stage, and explained what was going on.

"So guys, Ashley has just done 90% of her big performances. This is her chance to catch her breath, and give us the opportunity to prepare for the finale."

At that moment, Spencer's heart skipped many, many beats, as a sweaty brunette dashed past her and darted around a small curtain. She watched as clothes appeared over the top of the barrier and after a few obscenities were shouted a half naked Ashley raced over to her sister. Heart please start beating again…that's it, well done.

"Kyla, where's my shirt?! I need it like NOW!" Hello bitchy Ashley.

As Kyla sprinted to find the lost shirt, Ashley turned her jeans and bra clad attention to a flushed Spencer and her friend. "Hey Blondie, warm? Dya want some water?" Hello nice Ashley…Shut up and answer her you dork!

"Um…nah, I'm err…" She was saved from her ramblings by her flatmate.

"Nah, she's good. We ran here, wanted to catch as much as possible." Carmen couldn't help herself as her eyes roamed the sweaty body in front of her.

"I bet you did." Ashley winked at the pair and noticing Kyla skidding to a halt and launching a checked shirt in her direction, buttoned up quickly and ran back on stage.

"Way to clam up Carlin! Where's your game gone!?" Spencer just glared and continued to watch Ashley address the crowd.

"Howdy all, I have finally returned. Slight wardrobe malfunction – I was shirtless for sometime there and you alllll missed it!" A loud groan swept through the crowd, with a few intermittent cheers thrown in.

"But, problem solved, as you can see. Now, me and the band were talking today, and were wondering what you thought of an idea we had. See we get a bit bored of following the same set-list each night, so how about we mix it up a bit." Ashley feigned nerves to the crowd, as she walked across the front of the stage.

"How about, you guys pick the next song?" The audience went wild, shouting different songs at different times, so all that could be heard was a mass of noise. Spencer found herself lost in the situation, never before had she heard of this happening in a concert.

"What's she doing?" She asked Kyla

"This is what I was talking about before, this is Ashley appearing to try to please the crowd, but in fact giving everyone a break. See she's already done the big songs, so all's that left for the crowd to request is her more chilled songs. She does it every show, and we all love this bit!" Both girls nodded and turned their heads back to watch the audience going wild.

"Well at least I know you guys all have a healthy set of lungs on ya! Now, we'll do this properly, after 3, me and the guys want you to shout once, for the song you want to hear, and if you have any banners with songs on, hold them high for us all to see. Ready? 3. 2. 1. GO!"

The band put down their instruments and joined Ashley at the front to see the audiences' decision. They looked at each-other, seemingly trying to decide which song stuck out the most for them. After a few nods, the guys went and sat on the stools which now hovered around their abandoned instruments.

"Right, chill! We think we heard right. Did we hear…'This is the life'?" Once again the crowd responded positively, "You all just want to see the wobbly head make an appearance, I know your game!"

Spencer had never heard so many people laugh in unison before, they really did love her. The singer dashed over to them and picked up a black acoustic guitar, embellished with silver detailing, while Kyla popped a tan cowboy hat on her sister's head. As Ashley took her position at centre stage, Kyla proceeded to explain the head wobble.

"This song for some reason makes Ashley nod her head from side to side, obviously it's in time to the music, but it's very cute, and that's why the crowd usually pick this song for her to sing. See, not so much of a risk doing this bit of the show."

The house lights went down as Ashley made her way over to her drummer, her acoustic now plugged into the speaker system; you could hear her strumming the first few chords of the song. It's almost got a country feel to it, Miss Davies you continue to surprise me. The drummer kicked in and the lights went up.

Oh the wind whistles down
The cold dark street tonight
And the people they were dancing to the music vibe
And the boys chase the girls with the curls in their hair
While the shy tormented youth sit way over there
And the songs they get louder
Each one better than before

The husky tones caused Spencer's body to become covered in goosebumps. It was a fun song, and Ashley was being herself. She wasn't flirting with thousands of people at once, and she wasn't firing verbal assaults at her staff, she actually seemed to be enjoying herself.

"Here come the wobble." Kyla started chuckling to herself. No matter how many times she saw this song performed, it always made her laugh to see her sister be a complete tool.

And you're singing the songs
Thinking this is the life
And you wake up in the morning and you're head feels twice the size
Where you gonna go? Where you gonna go?
Where you gonna sleep tonight?

All three girls were doubled over laughing, Ashley was desperately trying to keep a straight face as the entire crowd in front of her, started emphatically moving their heads from side to side. They love her, and she adores them, Spencer thought to herself as she struggled to gasp for air.

So you're heading down the road in your taxi for four
And you're waiting outside Jimmy's front door
But nobody's in and nobody's home 'til four
So you're sitting there with nothing to do
Talking about Robert Riger and his motley crew
And where you're gonna go and where you're gonna sleep tonight

In the slight break between the verse and the next chorus, Ashley shouted out to the crowd. "Your turn!" In time, the whole arena started singing, while Ashley merely mouthed the words.

And you're singing the songs
Thinking this is the life
And you wake up in the morning and you're head feels twice the size
Where you gonna go? Where you gonna go?
Where you gonna sleep tonight?

Once they finished, she performed a small solo on the guitar that made Spencer watch her in awe. The music stopped momentarily as the chorus was sung repeatedly; quietly at first, getting louder until the band were playing their hearts out. Finally the song came to an end, as Ashley sung out the last line to rapturous applause.

Where you gonna sleep tonight?

Still smiling from what she had just seen, Spencer turned to Kyla and asked her a question that had been on her mind since the beginning of the track.

"Was she hungover when she wrote that?"

"Hun, she was still drunk!"

Spencer giggled as she imagined a drunken Ashley dancing around with her acoustic, singing about the nights' events. When her innocent thoughts went from a drunken dancing Ashley, to a far more provocative drunken dancing Ashley from the first night they met, Spencer decided it was way past her bed time, and ushered Carmen quickly away from the building.

Soooo what dya think? Wanted to show Ashley's relationship with her fans, hopefully that came across. ANYWAY...please review, as much fun as i had writing that, I'm not sure if it was any good. Please review for me? :D