A/N- the long awaited last chapter! So I made it 7 MS Word pages long for you! I hope you enjoy it.
As this is the last chapter I shall make a big speech like I've just won an Oscar- thank you to EVERYONE who has read, alerted or favourited this story, and the people who have favourited me. I would like to say a double thankyou to IndusLotus2001, LaughALife, lozzard-wellard, Jayla Starlight, StarReader86, ShadowDog34, tj/spin fan, paupi121 and Princesakarlita411 for reviewing!! You guys rule!! I have been overjoyed to get so many positive reviews. And a big thank you to anyone who reviews now when this story is finished!
The next morning, with Sophia out of the cottage and out of Joey's life, Spinelli should have been much more happy. But she wasn't. She was worried sick about Ashley. Everyone was.
There was an awkward atmosphere hanging over Spinelli, Joey, TJ, Bob and Flo as they watched the morning news. They had got in touch with the police, who had said would help them out, but Spinelli knew that some people went missing and weren't found for years, even if everyone in the world helped. She sighed; they were never going to find Ashley.
There was something about Ashley on the news. Her picture came on the screen next to the grey-haired newsreader, with a caption underneath it that said 'Missing Teenager'.
"Ashley Armbuster is sixteen and thought to have run away because of a disagreement with her foster brother," the newsreader read out. Spinelli glared at Joey, her idiot brother; he'd told them all why he thought she'd ran away, and it was all his fault. Maybe if it wasn't for him Ashley would still be here. Alive and well and safe.
Joey felt Spinelli glaring at him and tried to ignore it, but he was feeling really guilty. He knew she was right. That it was his fault. And he wished he could go back to yesterday and change that.
Spinelli suddenly turned the TV off. "I can't watch that anymore," Spinelli said, and she stormed off to her room, slamming the door behind her.
Joey, TJ, Bob and Flo sat in an awkward silence for a few minutes, none of them knowing whether or not to look at each other. All four of them leapt up when the phone rang.
"I'll answer it!" they all said, but Bob got there first.
"Hello?!" he said, and then his eyes lit up, but then he looked worried, and then relieved. "OK- thank you so much, officer. We'll be on our way. Thank you."
He hung up. "They've found Ashley," he said, and Joey sighed, a sigh of relief. His face split into a huge grin. "Yes! That's great news!"
"Where was she?" TJ asked.
"Is she OK?" Flo asked seriously, and Joey and TJ's faces fell- Bob hadn't said in what state Ashley had been found in. She could still be hurt. She could still be dead.
"She was in a town about thirty miles from here, and she got run over by a car," Bob said grimly.
Joey's heart sank. Just because he didn't want to think his girlfriend had cheated on him, the girl he thought he was falling in love with could have died. "Oh my God, is she-"
"She's in hospital, and she's just woke up from her coma, and at first the doctors said she'd only survive if she had a blood transplant. They've found two donors, though, and they have the same blood type as her. They're giving their blood today."
Bob drove them all to the hospital to see Ashley- and Spinelli was shocked to see Ashley Q. in the hospital waiting room.
"What are you doing here?!" Spinelli said to her in disgust, and Ashley Q. blushed a little.
"Uh- Ashley T. and I heard about what happened to Ashley A, and we came to donate our blood," Ashley Q. said. "I've just had my transplant, and Ashley T's getting hers as we speak."
"Oh yeah- I heard you and Ashley T. were trying to get Ashley B. to kick you out of the Ashleys," TJ said, jamming his hands in his pockets.
Ashley Q. shook her head. "No TJ… well, that's true, but we're not doing this so Ashley B. will kick us out of the Ashleys. We're doing this because we want to help Ashley A."
Spinelli was stunned. "Whoa… so that means three of you are nice?!"
Ashley Q. smiled. "Seems that way."
Ashley T. came out and smiled at them all. "Hi, guys… Spinelli, TJ, I am really sorry about what happened to Ashley A, and I really hope she makes a full recovery."
"Thanks, Ashley T, and I think she'll be OK. Thanks for giving your blood," Spinelli said, smiling. She really didn't expect Ashley Q. and Ashley T. to do something so nice for Ashley A, especially after the scene in the cafeteria when she was thrown out of the Ashleys.
"We're really sorry we humiliated her in front of the whole school," Ashley Q. said, and Ashley T. nodded. "We're really ashamed about that. And sorry we were such stuck-up bitches to you before."
Spinelli laughed. "No hard feelings. And I'm sorry for all the crummy stuff we've done over time. Like that time in fourth grade we replaced the Ashley flag on the Ashley clubhouse with a pair of pants."
Ashley Q. and Ashley T. actually laughed. "No hard feelings," they repeated.
Ashley Q. and Ashley T. exchanged cell phone numbers with Spinelli and TJ before they left the hospital a few moments later, (A/N- I know you're not allowed to use phones in hospital, but they could have wrote them down on pieces of paper or something.) and Spinelli, TJ, Bob and Flo made their way to the intensive care unit to visit Ashley.
Spinelli remembered the last time she was down here, visiting TJ. When he'd first brought up that awkward business of what she'd said to him before he blacked out in the toy store. And after that there was that awful phone call and that horrible period where they didn't talk at all. TJ's words to Spinelli really hurt her, and now they were together Spinelli had just wished she hadn't put off telling the truth, because she hated it when TJ was hurt.
Remembering all that made her realise how lucky she was to have TJ in her life. She slipped her hand in TJ's. "I'll always love you," she whispered, and he just smiled and squeezed her hand, but it was good enough for her. It was enough for her to know that he loved her, and he was always there.
Bob and Flo smiled fondly at them despite each other; they'd known since their kids were little that they were soulmates, destined to spend the rest of their lives together.
They went into intensive care to find Ashley in a hospital bed wired up to a heart monitor. She looked very weak, but managed a genuine looking smile when she saw her family had come to see her. Joey's heart melted as he thought to himself how beautiful Ashley looked, even when she was weak and frail and on life support.
"I'm… sorry." Ashley said to them all. "I was… stupid…"
"No you weren't," Flo said soothingly. Spinelli opened her mouth to say 'Joey was', but Bob, almost guessing that she would say something like that, flashed her a warning look and Spinelli quickly bit her lip to stop her from saying anything.
"We were worried sick," Bob said thickly, like he was trying not to cry- and it all made Ashley wonder if her biological family would be this upset if they were alive now.
But if they were alive now, she wouldn't be living with the Spinellis. She wouldn't be friends with Spinelli, TJ and their friends. She would still be a spoilt brat. She wouldn't have met Joey. And she wouldn't have been loved, by anyone.
When she ran away, she thought that she was unwanted and unloved, but now she saw that a lot of people cared about her: Bob, Flo, Spinelli, TJ, Sam, Dave, Ruby… even Ashley T. and Ashley Q, who had surprisingly donated the blood she needed to stay alive.
But did Joey? Ashley noticed he was looking pretty awkward, hanging on the edge of the group, not saying anything and trying not to meet Ashley's eyes. Ashley noticed Sophia wasn't among the group- she would probably still be at Spinelli Cottage, snoring loudly on the couch.
Joey sighed. He needed to talk to Ashley- without the others around. But what if she wouldn't forgive him?
Luckily, Spinelli said, "I need the bathroom," and Flo said, "So do I." Then Bob and TJ went off to get some coffee and doughnuts. Leaving Joey and Ashley alone together.
There was an awkward silence as Joey and Ashley tried not to look at each other. Then both of them blurted out, "I'm sorry!" at the same time.
Joey's eyes narrowed. "What are you sorry for? You have nothing to be sorry about."
"For running away- I really am immature."
"Yeah, you should be sorry, I was worried sick!" Joey snapped in a brotherly tone. He bit his lip. "We all were," he added, more gently.
"I'm sorry."
"It's OK. Anyone can make mistakes. I made a lot of mistakes- stupid mistakes," Joey said, sighing, remembering everything he'd said to Ashley. "I didn't mean any of that stuff, I just… I guess I didn't want to believe my girlfriend was using me."
"It's OK." Ashley said, sighing. "I kind of understand… I mean, I didn't want to think my ex boyfriend was right when he said guys only liked me because I was rich."
"That's not true!" Joey said, anger bubbling up inside him, anger towards Ashley's idiot ex for saying something like that. Ashley was beautiful, and she had an amazing personality, and Joey couldn't believe anyone would be so shallow and make her feel so down.
Ashley sighed. She knew Joey was lying to try and make her feel better. "You're just lying to make me feel better," she said. "You don't have to be nice to me just because I'm in hospital, you know."
"I'm not lying to make you feel better, and I'm being nice to you not because you're in hospital but because you're an amazing person and you deserve it," Joey said, and Ashley wondered if he really meant it. She looked into his eyes- they looked sincere.
"Trust me," Joey added, when he saw Ashley's doubtful expression.
"Oh yeah? Like you didn't trust me?!" Ashley said, then, after realising what she said, clapped her hand over her mouth.
"Oh, but I did," Joey said, smiling. "I dumped Sophia." Joey was surprised to see how happy Ashley looked when he'd said that- did that mean that she liked him? He hoped so. He smirked. "Personally, I think I would have dumped her anyway. She was a total bitch. So selfish."
"I never really liked her much," Ashley said.
"Why are you looking so happy now you know I've dumped her?" Joey asked, and Ashley blushed. "You know… because I want you to be happy, and I know that she can't make you happy, because she was using you and chea…" Ashley didn't get a chance to say "-ting on you," because Joey suddenly kissed her. Ashley was amazed- she didn't see that coming at all. (A/N- but I bet you guys did!! Haha, my stories are so predictable :P)
"Is there something you should tell us?" a voice said. Cringing, Ashley and Joey came apart, and saw Flo and Spinelli, back from the bathroom. Spinelli was smirking but Flo was smiling happily.
Ashley looked at Joey, confused. "Is there?" There must have been some reason he'd just kissed her. People didn't kiss each other for no reason. It must have meant that he liked her. And she liked him, so why shouldn't they be more than just friends?
"Well, if there was, then I would like that a lot," Joey said, his eyes twinkling. "You're beautiful and you're kind and you're funny and when I'm with you it just feels right. That kiss was among the most amazing moments of my life, and I want more amazing moments like that with you. I'm still young and I've only known you for a few weeks, but I would be more than happy to spend the rest of my life with you." Joey blushed, knowing he sounded like such an idiot. What on earth would Ashley say?
Ashley smiled, her blue eyes filling with tears. She was touched- no one had ever said anything so nice to her before. "Wow…" was all she could say. "I didn't know you were so romantic."
"Uh- yeah." Joey said, looking at his feet. "I guess what I'm trying to say is will you go out with me, but instead I'm coming out with a load of goo that'll make you think I'm an idiot."
"Number one, you're not an idiot. Number two, that was the best way of asking someone out I've ever heard. It was beautiful and romantic and much better than how my ex boyfriend asked me out."
"Lawson? How'd he ask you out?" Spinelli asked, and Ashley jumped- she'd forgotten she and Flo were there, and by now Bob and TJ were back too.
"He said to me, 'I'm hot, you're hot, let's go out'," Ashley said, pulling a quick sick face at Spinelli and turning back around to face Joey.
"And three," Ashley said, "… of course I'll go out with you."
And as Ashley and Joey kissed for the second time, Ashley knew she'd made the right choice in staying alive.
"And that's how your mom and I got together," Joey said to his three kids, who were all sat on his knee, smiling up at him.
It was ten years later- Joey and Ashley Spinelli had been married seven years and were expecting their fourth child. Ashley was a fashion designer and Joey was a music teacher at the high school.
Joey and Ashley's oldest son, Robert Joseph, was six, a first grader at Third Street School. Their other two kids hadn't started Third Street yet- Tyler Theodore and Brittany Ashley were three-year-old twins, and Ashley was eight and a half months pregnant with their fourth (and probably final) child.
TJ and Spinelli lived just down the road from them; TJ was the fourth grade teacher at Third Street School and Spinelli was a comic book artist. Spinelli's official name was now Mrs. Ashley Detweiler, but her close family and friends still called her Spinelli- apart from three children who called her Mom. TJ and Spinelli had a daughter and two sons- Rebecca Ruby Gretchen was four, Gustav Michael Vincent was two and Vito Samuel David was six months.
Bob and Flo, who were aging gracefully, had retired and loved taking care of their grandchildren.
The old gang had reunited two years ago when Vince married Gretchen. Vince was no longer the jerk he was in high school- he was a professional basketball player and had his own restaurant. Gretchen worked at NASA. Mikey was a famous actor and poet, and Gus had spent his teenage years in England, but was now back in America and in the Army. Also Sam and Dave were archaeologists, Ruby owned a sweetshop and Jimmy Cratmer went on to win the lottery. Ashley T. and Ashley Q. quit the Ashleys after saving Ashley's life and remained quite good friends with Ashley, Spinelli, Joey and TJ- Ashley Q. was a midwife and Ashley T. was the kindergarten teacher at Third Street. Ashley B. was neither rich or famous- her family's business had gone down the toilet, and she was a football player's wife a few years back, but he left her for her sister Brittany B, and no one had a clue who she was.
Suddenly, Ashley sat up in her armchair. "Joey… I think I'm going into labour!"
It was true- Ashley's waters had broken. "OK- Robert, can you take Brittany and Tyler to your Aunt Spinelli's and Uncle TJ's house? Just tell them your mom's having her baby and you need them to look after you."
"OK," Robert said, smiling- he loved being the oldest because he got to do all the important stuff. He held his brother and sister's hands and ran off to Spinelli and TJ's house.
Joey and Ashley hurried over to Joey's car and drove to the hospital, Ashley screaming. Joey bit his lip, hating to see the love of his life in pain.
They got to the hospital and four hours later, Ashley was lying on the bed in terrible pain, even though she was no stranger to childbirth, and Joey was sure that if his wife squeezed his hand any tighter it would snap off.
Luckily, their midwife, Ashley Q, said, "Come on, one more push, you're doing great!"
Ashley Q. delivered their baby and Ashley smiled- labour was painful, but it was always worth it in the end.
"Congratulations, you have a beautiful daughter," Ashley Q. said, and Ashley smiled. She'd wanted a girly little daughter- Brittany was a feisty little tomboy like her aunt.
"Well done baby, I'm so proud of you," Joey whispered as Ashley beamed at him.
"Would you like to hold her?" Ashley Q. asked, gently passing the new baby to Joey, who held her in his strong arms, looking down at her, brown eyes filling with tears. Tears of joy and pride.
"She needs a name," Joey said. "Are we going with Florence?"
Ashley nodded, smiling. They named their kids after family and close friends.
"She needs a middle name too," Joey said.
"Yeah, and I've had an idea for her middle name," Ashley said.
"What is it, sweetheart?" Joey asked, and Ashley smiled. "Dawn," she said. "Because it was dawn when we first met."
"Florence Dawn…" Joey said the words like they were a magic spell, smiling, remembering that magical dawn when he and Ashley first met. He wondered how he lived without her. He looked into the eyes of his beautiful baby daughter. If she looked anything like her mother, then she would be beautiful when she was older. If any boy ever loved her half as much as he loved Ashley, then she would be lucky. "I like it."
He remembered reading somewhere that in the world, there were around 14 babies born every second. He thought of all the other thirteen men who had just became fathers. Maybe some would be fathers for the first time. He was so nervous when Ashley was pregnant with Robert, but the minute he was born, Joey knew he was ready to be a dad. Maybe a few others would be like him- they had other children. And some of the dads maybe didn't even know that they were dads now.
"I promise you, I'll be there for you, whenever you need me," Joey whispered, planting a gentle kiss on his daughter's forehead. Her skin was soft, her eyes were a beautiful shade of blue- everything about her was perfect.
Joey smiled. "I'll always love you, Florence Dawn Spinelli."
Sorry if you didn't like the ending. I'm rubbish at endings!! Anyway, hope you enjoyed my story- as I'm back at school and Year 9 is quite a big year for me, I won't be as quick with updates but keep a lookout for my next story! Love you all! –Rach xx