CHAPTER 25

Protecting You

You've been through a lot imaferrari, my hats off to you for your enduring strength.

I'm surprised at the mixed feelings I got for this chapters, especially from you guys, had a few good points that needed amending, appreciate it guys. Thanks and I hope you like this one.

Spencer hadn't been to school in three days, Glen had brought in a note saying that she would be out for at least two weeks. Ashley hadn't bothered to call, despite the numerous pleas and requests from everyone, not even Arthur could get her to. Ashley had regressed and stopped communicating with people, she'd stopped talking to her mother and stayed locked in when she wasn't at school.

"Spence, you hungry?"

She groaned and turned in the bed, her face buried in her pillow.

"C'mon baby sis, you've gotta eat something."

"I'm not hungry," barely audible from her lips.

"Water then? Mom says you need to keep hydrated."

"No." Spencer bit her lip as tears rolled down her face, "Why hasn't she called, or come to see me?"

Glen frowned as he ran his hand through his curls, "Spence I really don't know, but you need to stop thinking about Ashley right now, you're sick and you need to focus on getting better,"

In one swift motion she hung her head off the bed and started throwing up on the floor. Glen jumped out of the chair, "Jesus Christ, Spencer…" as he held her hair back,"Mom! Spencer's at it again, mom!"

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"Take her into the ER, she's hallucinating, her BP is 160/75 and she's badly dehydrated lapsing in and out of consciousness."

"Paula. How long has she been like this?"

"She's only just started to get worse, she's had an upset stomach since Sunday morning, I've had her on some antibiotics since."

Spencer starts groaning, "Mom I don't feel so good," then her entire world goes black.

"I just spoke to Clay, he sends his prayers,"

"Yea," Glen hadn't been speaking much since he heard that Spencer was in the ER, he kept wanting to go in there but they shut him out, now she was in her room, sleeping and he couldn't bring himself to go in there.

"She's going to be ok son," Arthur came into the huddle patting Glen on the back.

"Why hasn't Ashley come to see her?" Chelsea asked annoyed.

"I—I'm not sure," Arthur shook his head.

They all turned to Paula, who was walking down the corridors,

"Arthur I need to talk to you, alone."

As soon as they were a distance away from the kids Paula's eyes watered, "Arthur, we found traces of MDMA in Spencer's blood."

Arthur sighed heavily and rubbed his jaw, "I don't know Paula. I know Spencer; she's way too responsible to slip up like this."

"Responsible or not Arthur, it's there. Where's Ashley, she and I need to have a serious talk."

"What are you getting at?"

"I'm not getting at anything. I'm just saying, she hasn't seen or spoken to Spencer in weeks and now our daughter is lying in a hospital bed in an in and out state of consciousness and internal bleeding!"

"This is not Ashley's fault!"

"Then whose is it?"

"God, are you hearing yourself Paula? Are you forgetting that you actually like this girl? That we allowed her into our daughter's life because we knew it would be best? You know-you know how much Ashley cares about Spencer, why would she hurt her?"

"I don't know," the frustrated doctor broke down as sobs racked her body.

"Damn-it Ashley, Spencer needs you, why are you being so hard headed?"

There was no answer from the brunette as she sat there still strumming her guitar.

"Fine! I give up!" throwing her hands in the air as she trudged out of the room, "you don't care if she dies, I'll be sure to let her family know."

Spencer, dying?

Ashley sprinted off the bed running to Kyla's room, she started banging on the door,

"What do you mean 'if she dies'! What's wrong with her?"

The younger brunette was being spiteful and not answering,

"Jesus Christ Kyla, answer me!"

"Go to the damn hospital and find out yourself!"

"Kyla will you please open the door and talk to me?"

"No!"

Ashley stayed leaning against the door knocking incessantly but to no avail,

"Come on Kyla, just open the door," she almost fell face forward when the door was swung open.

"It's open."

"Look, I'm sorry Ky but—,"

"But what Ashley? She's your girlfriend, you say you love her, why won't you go see her?"

"I do love her," the room fell silent for a millisecond before Kyla started again,

"Well you've been doing a pretty good job of showing it. You haven't called or spoken to her since you confronted her about Anisa. She's been crying day in day out, wondering why you haven't been around. She's sick, she had a taste of E and it messed her up, she's b—,"

"Wait, what?"

"She's sick a—."

"No, not that, you said Spencer tasted E, how?"

"I don't know Ash, the doctors found traces of it in her blood, that why she's been so sick. Throwing up all the time, dehydrated and she's bleeding internally and passing out. She had an overdose."

Ashley's face had a dreaded horror look on it, her eyes burned as her posture became hard and her fists curled. "That bitch, I knew it. I knew, Jesus why didn't I go over there, why didn't I stop it?" Her head lowered as her eyes scanned the carpet of Kyla's floor. Looking back up at her sister with water rimmed eyes she said, "I'm going to the hospital, then we need to talk."

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Ashley walked pass the receptionist who seemingly didn't care enough to ask who she was in to see. Her eyes quickly scanned the halls to find Arthur, Glen and Chelsea huddled in a group praying. She walked up to the circle and held Arthurs arm, squeezing it.

The older man turned to Ashley his grey eyes soft as he spoke, "We've been waiting for you."

"Where've you been Ashley?" Chelsea asked rightfully upset. Before she could get a chance to talk Glen stopped her,

"I don't wanna hear it."

"Glen don't start,"

"No dad, you don't start," turning to Ashley his anger fuming, "where were you these past few days huh? Do you have any idea how many times I've had to tell her to stop crying because it was obvious that you didn't care? And now you come here wanting to see her?"

"Glen, I'm sorry."

"Well sorry is not good enough Ashley."

"I know, Mr. C, can I see her?"

"Sure you can sweetie, the room on the left,"

"Dad, you're really letting her go in there?"

"Glen, please."

"No, you know what, I'm out."

"Don't pay him any mind Ashley, he's just hurting."

"I don't blame him," she said fiddling her thumbs, "I wouldn't be surprised if Spencer hates me too," her voice barely audible.

"She doesn't, she won't."

Ashley walked into Spencer's room and stood silently taking in the IV stuck in her arm before moving to the bed to sit beside her. She was breathing so easily and seemed so peaceful. The brunette's hand outlined her face, trailing her eyes, nose then brushing her thumb lightly over lips that had crusted a bit, she kissed them softly.

"I'm so sorry Spencer," the pain she felt that stung her chest was indescribable. Hot tears streamed down her face as she rested her head against the blonde's all the while scooting into a position well enough to wrap her arms around the sleeping girl.

"I'm so sorry Spence. I never meant to hurt you. I love you, you know that don't you?"

Ashley started to hum softly into the blonde's ear until she herself lapsed unconsciously.

It was 3 in the morning when Ashley woke up, her arm still slung over the girl's abdomen. By her breathing Ashley could tell she was awake.

"Spence?"

"Hmnh," her eyes kept trained on the ceiling.

"How are you feeling?"

"Better now that you're here."

"Oh," was all she could say, she could never get over just how honest Spencer was especially when it came to her feelings for Ashley.

"I've missed you."

Ashley had no response, she allowed the blonde to keep speaking.

"I'm sorry for not listening to you. I knew she wanted more than friendship. I always did, but I thought I could handle it."

"It's ok. We don't have to worry about that anymore."

"Hmnh, what took you so long? I waited for you."

"I was having an intervention with your dad. I had a really hard time accepting Anisa's presence in your life Spence, you have no idea. I wasn't able to handle myself and I had to prepare myself. I didn't want to hurt you and risk hurting us."

"You did hurt me."

"I know, and I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

"I was going to tell you—,"

"Why didn't you tell me sooner, why'd you have to wait until I confronted you?"

"I figured that you would think it was my fault…that I wanted it."

In the recesses of her mind Ashley did cross-examine that theory but she would never let Spencer know that's why she hadn't put a beat down Anisa that night outside the club.

"No one would ever want that."

The blonde's eyes watered as she turned and buried her face in Ashley's chest as warm hands soothed her back.

"We need to focus on getting you better. I'm never leaving you alone again, you'll be sick of me," she smiled as she wiped the tears from the blonde's cheeks.

"I don't think that's possible."

"We'll see when you start to cave," she laughed lightly.

"I missed you smiling," she kissed her cheek; "I'm so tired though."

"Shh, sleep. I'm here and I love you."

"Don't ever stop."

She wouldn't, Ashley knew that much. She was too invested in Spencer, her family, her heart and protecting the blonde who now lay beside her sleeping. She slid her phone carefully out her back pocket so as not to wake her,

"Kyla, do me a favor and tell Aiden I need to see him later, it's important."

She leaned forward, kissed Spencer's forehead and accepted the silence.