Okaaaaaay so I'm sorry. I know that doesn't make up for the extremely long time I've been away but seriously I couldn't help it. It's just life never slows down you know. As some of you have guessed this story is coming to a close. We're seven chapters away from the end maybe I'll throw in a few letters here and there we'll see. I hope you all like this chapter I enjoyed writing it, I love pushing myself to write a way I don't always write. I just want to thank everyone for your reviews and continuing to favorite and follow the response to this has been amazing and though it's hard work I have been enjoying seeing the results.

A quick thank you to my beta I seriously...i don't know what I'd do without you looking over this story I'm sure it'd be awful cause I hate proofreading my own work. So thank you.

Enjoy and let me know what you think! Thanks a lot.

Dear Scott,

"You're going to be at the hospital today?" Spencer asks as she changes her clothes. Ashley pouts as the blonde pulls her shirt over her head.

"Yeah, Sam invited me to lunch."

"Hm she must not like you very much if she invited you to eat the hospital food I'm pretty sure I warned you about that."

Ashley laughs as Spencer crawls back onto the bed and kneels in front of her. "You did but you did mention they have some amazing tapioca pudding."

The blonde grunts in acknowledgement. "That they do…" She gets quiet and Ashley wraps her hand around Spencer's arm effectively pulling her down on top of her. Spencer sighs as she lets Ashley hold her.

"You want to tell me what's on your mind?"

Ashley's heart pounds as she expects to hear the blonde refer to breaking things off with Scott.

"I don't have to worry about Sammie do I?" Spencer lifts her head and bites her bottom lip nervously. Her brows furrow with worry and Ashley can't help but smile at how cute her best friend looks.

"Because she invited me to lunch?" Spencer groans as if the question alone causes her pain. Shaking her head Ashley gently squeezes Spencer's body. "Yes you should worry because I've been in love with Samantha for the past…" Ashley pretends to think making the blonde pout even more. "Seriously?"

"Yes." Spencer exclaims in the whiniest voice she can muster up. "I just…she can get what she wants pretty much all the time…kinda like you."

The photographer pops her eyebrows up once and smirks. "Well everything I want is right here. You don't have to worry about Sammie…she really loves you."

"I know but she loves women more." Spencer answers with a small laugh. Ashley shakes her head.

"No she called you her best friend." Spencer's brows rise at the information, they were close but the status of their relationship was never really discussed.

They were always just Spencer and Sammie, pretty inseparable when it came to work; they had an instant connection on their first day. Not once though have they ever talked about what they were to each other. The reason was probably because whenever the discussion came up Spencer always made a comment that no one could ever replace Ashley but now Ashley is about to become so much more than a best friend. Spencer thinks about the redhead for a minute and smiles, besides Ashley, Sammie really is the perfect best friend. Except the whole trying to sleep with her girlfriend kind of thing.

"Well she's mine too…"

"And what am I?" Ashley asks in faux anger. Spencer leans down and kisses her quickly.

"The love of my life."

The brunette swoons and shakes her head as Spencer pushes herself up and grabs her shoes. Getting up and placing her legs on either side of the surgeon Ashley gently kisses Spencer's neck.

"So how are you doing?"

"In regards to…" She leaves the statement open for the brunette to fill in.

"Your talk with Scott."

With a gentle shrug of her shoulders Spencer keeps her gaze on her shoes as she slips them on. "I mean I'm about to tell someone I'd rather be with someone else I can't imagine that I should be feeling anything good."

Ashley remains quiet allowing her silence to give Spencer a chance to vent whatever she needs to vent. The hard part about being a best friend and wanting to be the girlfriend hearing things that a girlfriend wouldn't normally hear. Giving advice that one may not necessarily want to give hoping that they'll still want to choose you in the end.

"I don't know how I feel to be honest. I just know I have to do what's right…" Spencer finally turns her head and looks into brown eyes. "For all of us."

Ashley just nods sucking her bottom lip into her mouth and letting it slowly slide out. "I just…I don't know what to say I hate that I'm making you choose. A part of me feels like you're choosing me…because it's me."

Spencer's forehead creases as she tries to decipher what Ashley can mean. Standing up and slipping her phone into her pocket and grabbing her keys. She tosses her hair up in a messy bun.

"I am choosing you because it's you…I don't get what you're saying."

Ashley leans back onto her elbows tucking her legs underneath her. "I mean, you're choosing me because you want to be with me not because you're afraid of losing me…right?"

"What'd I tell you about second-guessing my feelings for you."

"I'm not second-guessing your feelings. I'm second guessing your motivation for action…because you won't. Lose me I mean."

"Good to know." Spencer says and flashes a quick smile. "I've got to go. I still need to stop by my place and get some things ready because after I talk to Scott I'm coming straight here. I don't want to go to work every day in the same clothes even if I do change out of them."

"So you're just going to ignore my question?"

"Yes." She answers quickly and kisses Ashley on the head before standing up and making her way towards the door.

"Penguin!"

Spencer laughs as she wiggles her fingers opening the door and walking out. She leaves the hotel room and the peace she feels when she's with Ashley quickly leaves her. Her heart races with every step she takes. She gets into the elevator and her palms begin to sweat. All the other guys she's left before, she's never had this reaction they were always easy and leaving Scott isn't what's making her nervous it's what she's gaining. As she steps out of the elevator as if on cue her phone rings she pulls it from her pocket and her body relaxes.

"You are the most beautiful person I know inside and out and I will always love you no matter what." Ashley's voice filters through the receiver and Spencer sighs in appreciation at the comfort her voice and her words bring.

"How'd you know I needed you?"

"Because I know you. What kind of question is that?"

Spencer smiles as her nerves settle down enough to erupt in a set of soft giggles.

"I apologize. I appreciate you checking up on me."

"Stop sounding ridiculous Penguin, like I'm this neighbor that you don't really talk to and just feel the need to thank to be polite after having this awkward and mundane conversation."

"You can't see me but I'm pouting."

Spencer exits the hotel and straddles her motorcycle. She can't help the smirk that spreads across her lips as Ashley's husky chuckle filters into her ear.

"Well save it and I'll kiss it away later. You want to grab dinner tonight maybe outside of the room?"

Spencer raises the volume of her voice as she starts the engine of her motorcycle and revs it a couple of times. She releases the throttle and situates herself.

"That sounds extremely appealing but I'd rather just curl against you tonight if that's alright."

"More than alright, we'll just order in. I'll let you go."

"I love you."

Ashley groans at the three words and the sound makes the blonde bite her lip. The effect that she has on the brunette is still a surprise to her.

"I love you too, got to go. Thank you again."

They say their goodbyes and Spencer kicks the stand of her motorcycle up and slips her helmet on. As she slips her helmet on she focuses on her destination and what will happen once she arrives.

Before she realizes it Spencer pulls up in front of her apartment, she sighs as she removes her helmet blowing stray blonde hairs from her face. She dismounts her bike and tucks her helmet under her arm. One monologue after the other plays in her head as she gets closer to the door. It's half past five so Scott will already be up. She approaches the front door of her apartment, her heart pounds with every turn of her key as she unlocks the door. The pain of her heart constricting as fear engulfs her. Her hand falls from the door and she closes her eyes giving herself a mini pep talk. With a quick breath out she grabs the door knob and enters her place. It's quiet, not that there is anything unusual about that. What is she expecting, someone to pop out of nowhere and brand her 'cheater'? She sighs in relief as the prior thought had not occurred. As she walks further into the apartment setting her helmet on the armchair of her sofa.

"Scott?" She calls out as she walks towards the kitchen to grab a bottle of water. She opens the fridge and grabs the closest bottle and twists it open. She drinks with fervor, her eyes close with pleasure as the cool liquid quenches her dry throat. The refreshing feeling is welcome as her nerves annoyingly bounce around inside her. She sighs in satisfaction and turns around, she drops her water bottle on the ground. The contents spill everywhere. She's too frozen in her spot to react. Her mouth hangs open and her eyes tear up as they try to keep themselves from drying out. Spencer isn't blinking and Scott chuckles softly as he holds a new ring up in the air as he kneels on one knee.

"Well I'm glad I can still get that reaction seeing as we're already engaged."

An incoherent noise makes its way out of Spencer's mouth. It's a mixture between a squeak and a guttural moan. Scott raises his brows as well as he raises the ring higher just in case Spencer isn't aware that it's in his hand.

"Uh Spence, my knee is kinda hurting now."

She just shakes her head hoping that will jumpstart her brain to form some combination of words that will tell Scott that she can't accept the ring. They don't come though and he just stands up and walks over to her taking her hand and slipping the diamond on the ring finger of her left hand. She continues to talk in her newly developed squawking language as she tries to speak. The ring slips on easily and the grey-eyed man smiles proudly.

"Finally got the right size. I got it last night. I've been talking with a jeweler and he said that this would look beautiful on your hand and be a great fit seeing as the other was a bit big…"

Scott continues but his fiancée is looking at him as if he is speaking some other language and not the squawking one Spencer seems to be so fluent in as of late.

"I don't need to ask again do I?" He asks with a sweet smile and Spencer's throat closes up as she tries not to cry at the thought of hurting this sweet guy. She's not usually sensitive to people's feelings. Ever since she was small expressing her feelings was an easy feat. Hurting Scott though is like kicking a puppy. A really cute puppy, with only three legs, the two back ones in those doggy wheelchairs, and it's wearing an eye patch. It's just plain mean. He doesn't deserve the heartbreak but Spencer knows it needs to be done. Whether she realized it now or years ago Ashley is the only one she wants to be with, the only one she ever wanted to be with.

Spencer's phone goes off and breaks the trance that she's lost herself in. Scott groans playfully.

"Duty calls." He kisses her still open mouth and goes to clean up the spilled water that Spencer completely forgot she dropped. "So babe how about we grab some dinner tonight to celebrate?"

Another blare of her phone gets her out of answering. She just dashes out of the kitchen grabbing her helmet, slams it on her head as she straddles her bike and rides away from her fiancé. The scene still follows her no matter how hard she turns the gas of her bike. Everything she went there to do doesn't get accomplished and now she's got this ring on her finger and it's burning her. Her phone continues to go off and she sighs releasing all the tension of her personal life as she focuses on whatever may be going on at the hospital.

She quickly gets off her bike and jogs towards the hospital and as if she and Sammie were in sync she sees her best friend jogging next to her as they rush into the hospital.

"Look at you in the same clothes?" The redhead starts with a smirk. The blonde just smiles as they rush through the lobby and opt for the stairs.

"Yeah well, haven't slept at my place since Ashley's been here."

"Mhm and how's that going?" Sammie asks curiously as they both skip two steps at a time. They turn to trek up the next flight.

"Well I wish I had an answer. I'd say great but it's not because I'm sucking at doing the only thing that I need to do."

"Leaving Scott." Sam points out unnecessarily and Spencer just grunts as she grabs the railing and turns onto the next flight of stairs. Sammie keeps up easily. "I mean I get it but Spence who would you rather hurt?"

"No one!" Spencer squeaks out.

"Yeah but I mean someone is going to so it's got to be…" Sammie looks down as Spencer grips the inside of her helmet making sure it doesn't slip from her grasp. "What the hell is that?!"

Spencer groans and tries to hide her newest engagement ring. Her fellow surgeon rips the helmet from her hands and stops her so she can examine the ring.

"My goodness."

Spencer pulls her hand away and turns around walking up the stairs backwards momentarily to say "It's not a big deal."

"Spencer to him it is."

"Stop okay!"

"No!" Sammie's outburst makes Spencer jump. "I love you to death and it's so annoying to see you mope around for five days out of the week only to be happy for one, the days you get your letters. What are you doing? Why are you prolonging a pain that is inevitably going to come? You're not being nicer because you're lying longer. She's so good for you, I really like her. She's everything you say she is and I haven't even gotten to spend that much time with her and I want what's best for you. My God Spencer get your shit together. Stop stringing both of them along and be the aggressive Spencer I know cause this one is pathetic."

Spencer glares at her friend and Sammie just shakes her head walking past her. The blonde looks down at her hand and sighs. She knows her friend is right, there's no counterargument for this. It needs to be done and she can't wait any longer.

Spencer enters the locker room and walks towards her locker. Sammie is pulling her scrubs over head and once she has her shirt on the blonde wraps her arms around the redhead. She's momentarily caught off guard but relinquishes any grudge she was trying to hold on to as she hugs the blonde back.

"I hate you." Sammie mumbles.

"Thank you for being a pain in the ass."

"I'm going to need the two of you stop all this bonding, we have fifteen victims from a burning building and your hugs aren't going to save lives!" They both jump apart as their resident shouts and Sammie scurries out of the locker room. Spencer slips her helmet in her locker and starts to pull her top off. "Congratulations Carlin."

Spencer looks at her resident confused. "I'm sorry."

"You're engagement ring, congratulations."

"Oh…thanks but I'm not." She says as she thumbs the ring.

"Well whatever kind of ring it is don't forget to take it off." With that she leaves the blonde to get changed.

Spencer nods as she pulls the ring off and places it in her locker on top of the room key she acquired for Ashley's hotel room, she takes a final look at both items then slams her locker shut and throws on her scrubs. This is going to be one hell of a day.

Ashley walks into the hospital and enters the lobby. She texts Samantha to announce her arrival and grabs a seat on one of the chairs by a window. Resting her ankle on the other she fusses with the hem of her jeans.

"Hey sexy." The brunette smiles as she looks up at her tour guide. "Fancy seeing you here."

"Well I know you can't get enough of me so…"

The photographer stands up brushing away imaginary dust from her jeans. She leans in to give a kiss on the cheek of the redhead.

"I don't know who's been lying to you."

Ashley grunts. "My mistake."

The surgeon nods her head in the direction for Ashley to follow her in and the brunette does so obediently. "Why aren't you in surgery?"

"I had a lame one. I think our resident has the hots for Spencer because…hold on one sec," Ashley watches as Sammie leans over the edge of the front desk, her red hair falling smoothly over her shoulders. "Maggie, how are you today?"

Ashley watches Sammie intently knowing full well what the girl is up to having used this card herself many times. Maggie blushes and places a fist under her chin looking up at the redhead.

"I'm better now that you're here. I thought you forgot about me for a minute."

Sammie gasps in faux offense. She places a hand over her chest to keep up with her façade that the woman at the reception desk is clearly buying.

"I would never, how could I forget that time that you did…"

The girl quickly puts her hands up and frantically shushes Samantha. Ashley covers her mouth hiding her chuckle. Maggie readjusts herself in her seat her efforts to quiet Samantha's reveal causing her to practically fall out of it.

"What happens in the bedroom stays in the bedroom." She says as her eyes shift surreptitiously to see if anyone had overheard. Ashley bites her lip fighting off a giggle at the sight of a blushing Maggie. Sammie twists her face as she recalls the tryst.

"I'm pretty sure we didn't make it to the bedroom it was more like the—"

Maggie's eyes widen and Ashley can no longer hold back her laughter, she quickly walks away trying to avoid embarrassing the girl further. Seconds later Sammie walks over to Ashley handing her a pass that reads 'ALL ACCESS'.

"You're so cruel." Ashley tells her new friend with a smile clipping the badge onto her shirt. The photographer follows the surgeon towards the elevator and chuckles when Sammie makes a noise signifying how little she cares.

They both enter the elevator and the redhead picks up the conversation exactly where she left it earlier. "Anyway like I was saying our resident totally has a thing for your girl, she's been making Spence go on her service for the longest time. So I better watch out if I were you." Sammie adds with a wink before exiting the elevator once it opens up on the surgical floor.

Ashley's eyes quickly take in her surroundings as she follows Sammie through the halls of the hospital. Nurses rushing in and out of rooms, family members talking to doctors, some of them hugging doctors while others yell at their lack of competence. Ashley manages to keep up with Samantha's quick feet and they walk through a set of doors and everything becomes quiet. It's as if all the commotion going on, on the other side of the doors wasn't happening.

They walk into the gallery and take a seat. The room is fairly empty since most surgeons were either in surgery or just finishing up. Ashley sits at the edge of her seat as she searches for Spencer. She follows Sammie's extended arm as she points out the blonde. Her scrub cap making her blend in with the rest of surgeons.

Ashley smiles as she sees Spencer's hand buried in a patient as she assists her resident. She smiles with pride and her eyes shoot open as blood shoots out and the surgeons quickly hurry to fix the problem. Spencer moves with ease like it was second nature. Ashley's heart races as she looks on nervously. When things calm down, the resident holds her hands in midair and begins to ask Spencer questions which she answers perfectly as she does the procedure. The tiny resident nods once and Spencer pulls her hand out from the male on the table.

"Well, look at that they're letting her fly solo for the end of the surgery."

"What kind of surgery was it?" Ashley asks never taking her eyes off her girl.

"Guy had an axe in his chest, he opened up a door in haste as the fireman swung to break it open. She must've been sewing the internal injuries. There must have been tearing from the removal of the axe and a misplaced hand causing the blood to shoot out earlier. Kind of like keeping a hose pinched and when you straighten it out all the excess water shoots out. There was probably a hole they didn't catch but Spence got it. She always does."

"She your work wife?" Ashley asks with a light laugh and Sammie nods vigorously. "Don't blame you, she's hot when she takes control."

Sammie grunts in agreement and leans back into her seat as Spencer begins to close up the patient.

"So I need to talk to you."

Ashley's eyes narrow as she takes them away from Spencer in her element. She focuses on the redhead resting her arm on the top of her seat. She gives the redhead her full attention.

"So I mean I know you're Spencer's best friend and all and you'll understand where I'm coming from…" Ashley tilts her head as she tries to decode Sammie's cryptic monologue. She just nods encouraging the surgeon to continue. "So when I tell you what I'm about to tell you don't judge me. Okay?"

The photographer's brows furrow in confusion as she awaits what her new friend is bucking up the courage to say.

"Yeah okay."

Sammie clears her throat and looks Ashley straight into her eyes.

"You hurt that girl I will destroy you and make it look like an accident I know my way around a knife so I hope you'll heed my words wisely."

Ashley just smirks not batting a lash and nods in understanding. "No worries, she's in good hands."

"Oh I wasn't worried I'm saying if the event were to arise just for you to remember what I do for a living." Ashley closes her eyes and bows her head in respect to Sammie and her request. "Glad we're on the same page. Look she's done."

They both turn their attention back onto the finished surgery and watch as Spencer leaves the OR into the prep room to wash. Sammie instructs the brunette to exit the gallery in order to meet the blonde in the hallway.

Several minutes of silent waiting later Spencer comes out and her mouth shoots into an even bigger smile at the sight of her soon-to-be girlfriend. She skips toward the photographer and leaps into her arms. She hugs her tightly and moans at the soft kiss on her neck that Ashley gives her.

"Yeah just ignore me." Sammie says offended.

Spencer smirks as she laces her fingers with Ashley. "Okay." She pulls Ashley away then effectively bumps into another person.

"I'm so sorry." Spencer quickly apologizes never letting go of Ashley hand and her eyes widen as she notices her resident.

The small woman looks at her intern with risen eyebrows and puts a hand on her hip. She dismisses the younger surgeon's apology and looks at Ashley, sizing her up. Her head moves upwards as she starts from the bottom up and Ashley averts her eyes towards her two friends nervously.

"So is this the person you're not engaged to?"

Ashley turns to look at her soon-to-be girlfriend curiosity displayed all over her face. Spencer stammers as she tries to figure out just how to introduce the brunette.

"This is..." Ashley smiles and her eyes get wide as she watches Spencer struggle for an answer. She chuckles slightly as Sammie stands behind them exacerbating the situation as she prods with the follow-up question.

"Yeah Spence who is Ashley to you?"

Spencer snaps her head at her best friend and growls quietly. Sammie giggles as she continues to watch the scene unfold.

"Ashley is my girlfriend, Ashley this is my resident Dr. Wallace."

Ashley stares at the blonde surprised at the answer, her heart melts as blue eyes stare lovingly into hers. Neither girl notices the proud smirk on Sammie's face as she backs away to give them a moment to deal with situation. Dr. Wallace's face drops for a millisecond then turns stony again.

"Well it's nice to meet you, Carlin nice job today."

"Thank you ma'am." She quickly replies and watches as Dr. Wallace walks away.

"By the way it's a beautiful ring Ashley." She shouts over her shoulder and Spencer face falls in horror.

Ashley jerks her head back as if the words knock the wind out of her. She slowly turns her head towards the blonde whose mouth is agape eyes slightly falling out of their sockets as she watches her resident walk away.

"What's she talking about Spencer?"

Spencer visibly swallows as she tries to explain. She gently scratches her forehead looking down at her sneakers. When she hears her best friend clear her throat she looks up with a timid expression.

"Why is she complimenting you on a ring that I haven't bought you yet?"

Spencer bites her bottom lip as she fights off a smile. "Yet?" She asks shyly Ashley groans and points a stern finger.

"Don't change the subject."

"Scott found me a ring that fits and asked me to marry him…again."

"And you said no right?"

"I didn't get that far."

The photographer purses her lips, nods once and walks around the blonde and walks in the direction that she came in with Sammie earlier.

"Ashley…" Spencer whines out as she chases after the brunette, easily connecting their hands and tugging gently. Ashley stops in her tracks. "I swear it's over okay. I was going to talk to him about it this morning and then he proposed and when I tried to speak nothing was coming out."

Ashley looks at her pen pal with a bored expression. Spencer pouts and the brunette scoffs shaking her head. She releases the surgeon's hand and begins to walk again. She presses the button for the elevator and she feels an arm around her shoulder. She looks at the man and shakes her head with a small smile.

"Ashley my dear will you be joining my friends and me for lunch today?"

"Actually I was just about to leave." She corrects as she points towards the elevator.

"I think you should join us for to experience amazing hospital cuisine." Mavis appears on her other side and places his arm on top of Evan's letting it dangle on Ashley's other shoulder. She snorts out a laugh.

"Did Sammie put you guys up to this?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Sammie claims as she comes up behind all three of them placing her arms around Ashley's waist and resting her chin on both arms of the boys.

"You guys don't understand the concept of personal space do you?"

"No." All three answer at once.

"Will you three leave her alone?" Spencer orders and all the grips become tighter around the small brunette.

"No we wanna keep her." Mavis whines out and the elevator dings. They all waddle into the lift and Spencer enters in behind them.

"Well, I wanna keep her too but you don't see me suffocating her do you?"

"Maybe you just don't realize she's the kind of person you don't want to let go of. We're just showing you how to hold on to the perfect woman." Evans says nonchalantly.

Ashley smirks at the intern's choice of words. Someone definitely wrote them a script. That thought dawns on Spencer as well as she glares at the redhead who is staring at the glowing numbers in the elevator with determination.

"Shut your face Evan." She then looks at a clearly amused Ashley and she sighs getting closer towards the brunette. She places her hands on either side of her girlfriend's face. "You are the love of my life and I'm not letting you go, no matter what it takes to keep you I will do what I have to."

Ashley smiles softly and closes her eyes as Spencer leans in for a kiss but the catcalls from the group ruins the moment. Spencer rolls her eyes and takes a step back. She mumbles out a 'later' and Ashley just nods.

The group releases the photographer long enough for her to sit and have a quick lunch with them before they were paged. All three except Spencer leave the table leaving the couple alone. Ashley drinks her water and pulls the bottle away from her lips with a dopey grin as she looks at Spencer confused.

"Why are you staring at me like that?"

"You said yet." Spencer says with a wide smile. The brunette's brows furrow as she tries to figure what the woman across from her is referring to. "You asked 'Why is she complimenting you on a ring that I haven't bought you yet?' You said yet."

"Yup." Ashley says with a smirk. "What about it?"

"Did you say that on purpose?"

"I don't tell you things by accident."She answers with a chuckle.

"You know what I mean."

"As do you, don't act like you don't."

Spencer blushes and bows her head down. Ashley's phone goes off and she answers the call signaling to the blonde that she'll be a moment.

"Davies…hey Bruce how's it going?"

Spencer watches the brunette as she engages with the person on the other line. She leans back in her chair and reflects back on the situation from this morning. Thinking about Ashley in Scott's place this morning, she shakes her head as she wonders how they got there so quickly. Just three days ago they were best friends seeing each other on an annual visit. Now girlfriends? The thought appeals to the blonde as she disregards how quickly things were occurring because honestly this had been a slow process up until now. When you know you're supposed to be with someone, when the relationship is so natural, when you know each other as well as you do the amount of time doesn't matter. Sure they have history to back it up but history isn't what made them, they made them and their relationship is whatever they want it to be.

"That's definitely something I'd be interested in however at this present point in time it's not something I can be a part of…Bruce. The numbers are extremely flattering but they aren't enough."

Spencer wrings her hands together as she hears snippets of Ashley's conversation.

"I've got my reasons Bruce." Ashley laughs with gusto and Spencer smiles as she watches the brunette. "Nothing like that I just…I finally have a reason to settle down, give me a call when you've got something that doesn't involve me being away so long. Yeah you too."

Ashley ends the call dropping her phone onto the table and reaches her hand across to link her hand with Spencer's. She squeezes gently and the surgeon looks at her shyly.

"Do you regret turning down another job?"

"Not at all."

"Photography is your life though." Spencer states knowingly.

Ashley just shakes her head. "No you are, photography is something I'm passionate about but if we're going to make this work I can't be gone for five months chasing the Northern Lights. That's what that call was. Bruce wanted me to go to the top ten spots where they are most visible. Alaska, Denmark, Scotland, Greenland, Canada, Finland, Sweden, Russia, Iceland are all places that don't have you so for now every job is time away from you. I think I've had enough time from you for quite some time."

"Otter I don't want you to choose me over your work if you want to go."

"I know and I'm not. I honestly don't want to go right now. I don't want to be away from you. I spent years away from you and I've got a lot of catching up to do. Now give me a kiss so I can leave you to save more lives."

She leans over the table capturing the brunette's lips into a soft kiss. Once they break the kiss Ashley brushes her nose against Spencer's and gives her a quick peck.

"I love you."

Spencer still blushes every time she hears Ashley say it because now it's more than just a platonic 'I love you'.

"I love you more." Ashley stands up and starts to walk away from her best friend. "Otter!" Ashley quickly snaps her head around. "I'd choose you over work too…just so you know. I'd do anything, go anywhere for you."

Ashley places her hand on her chest as she feels her heart melt. She swallows the lump in her throat and nods. She clears it so she can speak but words aren't forming when she tries. She just mirrors the smile that Spencer is shooting in her direction and walks away.

For the second time that day Spencer's hand hovers over the doorknob of her apartment door. She inhales deeply gathering her courage in order to do what she failed to do that morning. She opens the door and drops her head. Lit candles fill the apartment, her shoulders slump as she closes the door behind her and leans against it for support.

"No…" Scott whines and Spencer smiles softly at how cute he sounds. He's like a little kid. "You're home a lot earlier than I expected. I was just about to run out and grab dinner."

"And leave all these candles lit?"

He places a hand on top of his head as he looks at his handiwork.

"Huh…I hadn't thought of that. It's probably a good thing that you came home early then."

Scott walks over to the tired surgeon with a bottle of wine in his hand. He places a hand on her upper arm giving it a soft squeeze before placing a gentle kiss on her lips.

"Scott…" Spencer starts as she drops her messenger bag and helmet by the door knowing it'll be easier to grab them on her way out.

"Oh I also brought home your favorite dessert from the bakery that you like."

She smiles pathetically as his gesture reminds her of Ashley. The dessert is only her favorite because Ashley made her try it once and since then it's been her favorite. When Ashley got back from her first out of the country excursion all she talked about was Tiramisu. She had the best one in Rome and was determined for the blonde to taste it, too. To a sixteen-year-old rum and coffee didn't sound too appealing but Ashley could get Spencer to do anything, try anything, but not because she forced her to. Ashley just knew Spencer and everything that she would and wouldn't like. The brunette swore that she'd love Tiramisu and since then Parker and Lusseau has been their go-to spot for the dessert.

"That's sweet. Scott…"

"Oh and…" Scott popped the cork out the bottle of the wine he was holding and walks back towards the kitchen. "I also got you this silver chain so you can put your ring around your neck during surgery." He comes back from the kitchen and hands her a velvet box. She opens it and sighs as she sees the first ring already hanging on it.

"I figured why not keep both, right?"

"Scott…" Spencer tries again but he seems to never let her get a word in. She isn't sure if it's nervousness or excitement that keeps him from letting her talk.

"Here let me put it on you."

He takes the necklace from the box and walks behind her. Spencer's hair is already up in a messy bun giving him easy access to link the chain around her neck but before he could put his arms around her Spencer steps forward.

"Scott." She says sternly and turns around, she looks into his grey eyes and he quickly averts them from her blue ones.

"Yeah you're right you're more than capable of putting it on yourself. I know how independent you are. I probably should just go grab dinner since you're here now I don't have to worry about the house catching fire."

He laughs nervously handing the necklace back to Spencer. She gently removes it from his grasp and he grabs his set of keys and points towards the door.

"Scott can you…"

"I'll be back in a bit. I love you." He stares at her and she just closes her eyes and nods.

He nods once and walks towards the door. He stops for a minute as she inhales deeply, his hand hovering over the doorknob. Swallowing thickly he pulls the door open and closes it behind him.

Spencer drops onto the sofa and leans her head back. She gently massages her scalp as she thinks of a way to get Scott to listen. She can't spend the whole night being cut off as he tries to avoid whatever bad news he knew she was going to deliver. She sits straight up as the thought dawns on her. She stands up and gathers her things placing them by the door.

She moves about the apartment blowing out the candles and walks into the kitchen. The only sound was from the pen against the paper as the tip drags against the blank sheet. She sniffles as she thinks about how good he is to her and how he deserves so much better. He always did. She got her better now it's his turn. She pulls off the ring and drops it into the envelope. She licks it closed and places it against the bottle of wine that he left to breathe.

She taps her fingers on the counter as she looks at his name that's scrawled in her messy doctor handwriting on the front. How quickly things have changed as she thinks about this being the first time she's ever written a letter to someone that wasn't Ashley. Scott has spent so long trying to read a letter from Ashley but now he has a letter of his own to read. Spencer grabs her keys and she grabs her things, she closes the door behind her and the apartment remains silent with a few exceptions.

The ticking from that analog clock that neither of them stood in front of long enough to read the time. The dripping from the faucet that the maintenance man always swore he fixed. The sound from the television next door as the obnoxious neighbor spends all his time playing Call of Duty at an extremely high volume. Headlights momentarily fill the dark apartment as cars pass by. Along with the rest of the white noise a sound of jingling keys join in as they dance in Scott's hand. He unlocks the door and sighs in defeat as the darkness of the apartment swallows him in from the dimly lit streets.

He places the food on the coffee table not needing to turn on any lights. He knew the layout of the apartment like the back of his hand, the sounds of his heavy footsteps hitting the wooden floor fill the room. The flick of the light switch in the kitchen echoes along with the dripping faucet. Scott's heart drops as he sees the letter against the bottle of wine that he left out. He hesitates to grab it but finds that his curiosity gets the better of him. He opens the letter, sliding his finger across the top of the envelope. He feels the ring inside and he closes his eyes, shaking his head.

He pulls out the sheet of paper and unfolds it.

Dear Scott,

I can't recall ever writing a letter to anyone else other than my pen pal. I think over the years I've discovered this to be the most effective way for me to express myself and be clear on what I mean to say. I know this way may seem cold and distant but for me this is the most intimate way for me to talk to you. You are such a great man, and I am so lucky to have been loved by you. Being with you has been a time that will always mean something to me. With that being said I need to tell you that as amazing as you are I can't marry you.

It won't be fair to you because I've realized something that I should've realized a long time ago. Something that has always been in front of me but I was too stupid to notice. I never meant to hurt you, please believe that. I do love you, I care about you so much I'm just…not in love with you the way I should be. You deserve someone who loves you the way you ought to be loved. I know there are no words of comfort that will fix any of this for you and I'm sorry. I'm sorry for hurting you but lying to you about how I truly feel would have been an injustice to what love really is. I know I don't have to tell you, you already know. You have probably known before I did but knowing you, you'll need me to say it or in this case write it.

I'm deeply in love with Ashley. I've always been but her confession of how she felt for me this past weekend allowed me to see that it's more than friendship I feel towards her. I won't go into detail because at this point it would do more harm than good. I don't expect you to forgive me or feel anything less than angry with me but I am truly sorry for any hurt that I have caused you. I know it's selfish of me to apologize as if it will make you feel any better but I really am sorry and for what it's worth you are an amazing man and you really did make me feel special, it's not you. I just needed more and with Ashley I don't need at all. I'll be out of the apartment for the rest of the week I know you're going back out of town for work so I'll get the rest of my things then. The apartment is yours if you want it. Again I really am sorry.

Spencer

The apartment was silent with a few exceptions. The ticking clock, the obnoxious gamer, the leaky faucet, and shattering glass of a wine bottle against the wall.