Spencer could feel the burning in her shoulder blade now, heavy and insistent. Throbbing as she gazed into the dark eyes before her. They were smiling at her, and she couldn't help but feel warm despite the frantic beating of her heart. Time was rushing to a close, and she was watching helplessly. Standing at the face of the cliff and watching the action before her, chained to the hillside and unable to jump or do much of anything but scream.
"Spencer, we really need to get you cleaned up," Ashley whispered before decorating Spencer's lips with a gentle, sweet kiss and leading her down the long corridor to the kitchen they had been in on that night they first met. Spencer took care of Ashley's wounds then, and even in the light of day, everything looked so familiar.
Ashley's strong, yet delicate hands lifted Spencer up on top of the counter before she moved around the kitchen, bustling to find the ingredients to clean her lover with. Hydrogen peroxide, gauze, and the homemade Davies' dressing landed on the counter in scattered succession and Spencer watched with a smile. Ashley turned her gently and peeled the robe down over the cut that had stopped bleeding, but was still red and angry.
The silk had been brushing against it and irritating it – that much was clear.
"I'm a tough girl. No need to treat me like a baby, Ash," Spencer said when she watched the careful way her lover handled the bottles and strands of gauze. Her fingers traced each item delicately, never holding them too long in her grip and looking back to Spencer every three or fewer seconds with a loving, soft glance.
She has a soul. How could someone so beautiful and loving be a monster?
"I just want you to know that I'd never hurt you," Ashley murmured as she poured a little bit of the clear peroxide onto a cotton ball and touched it to the area where Spencer's cut was slowly healing.
"I know," Spencer responded softly.
After the peroxide sank into the depth of the cut, which was fairly deep, Spencer winced and her eye twitched gently, her body slowly adjusting to the stinging pain of the cold antiseptic.
Ashley kissed Spencer's inner wrist and laced their fingers together with her free hand as she swabbed the area of the cut thoroughly and then pulled her hand away. She poured a little bit of the dressing onto clean gauze and taped it onto Spencer's warm skin.
It looked like she had gotten a tattoo, and in many ways, she had.
"Keep it clean and dry. If something happened to you..." Ashley said, her voice dropping to a morbid seriousness.
"Nothing will. You've taken excellent care of me, Dr. Davies," the blonde replied, ducking in for a slow, deep kiss, their tongues tangling as Ashley gripped Spencer's hips and stood between her legs as she was still perched on the counter. Spencer coiled her legs around Ashley's waist and pulled her in closer until their torsos were touching and their hips collided, both girls feeling the heat from the motions of their swaying bodies and frenzied lips.
Ashley brushed her hands up the outside of Spencer's silken thighs as the robe fell back, exposing her creamy flesh. Spencer shivered at the touch, goosebumps forming instantly.
Ashley pulled her lips away and brushed against Spencer's pulse, keeping her new lover firmly against her and not giving her any slack to move. Spencer gasped and opened her eyes to meet loving, warm brown orbs. A smile unleashed, and Ashley's followed.
"I've owned a lot of things, Spencer. But nothing's ever really been mine...you know? Does that make any sense?"
Are you saying I'm yours, Ashley Davies? Because I want to be...
"It makes perfect sense," Spencer said with a smile.
"I don't want to let you go, now that I have you..." Ashley responded, her smile fading for a moment as those eyes Spencer loved grew dark and intense.
"Then don't. You don't have to. I'm yours," Spencer gushed, her words flowing freely from kiss-bruised lips.
Those words had been uttered once to Aiden before their clumsy night of conception, and to Brooke years ago.
Those words had become Spencer's prison, because never in her life had she felt like she belonged anywhere, especially not to another person.
Those words were now sincere. Third time's the charm.
Ashley's arms fell slack around Spencer's hips, and the blonde frowned. Ashley looked down at the clean linoleum of her kitchen and strands of damp hair fell sideways over her forehead.
"Do you think Erin will like me?"
The tenderness in which the words were uttered broke Spencer's heart and healed it all over again. With each new sentence and smile, Ashley Davies was smoothing the cracks in Spencer's heart that had been prominently setting up shop for years, unattended. No one had been able to reach them and make them go away completely. They'd disappear for a few weeks and resurface, like a poison.
But now, Spencer could actually feel them healing.
"Honestly, I think it will take her a little bit of time to get used to living in a different house away from Brooke. I'll let her visit occasionally, so that will work itself out. As far as you're concerned, I don't see why she wouldn't love you..." Spencer commented, brushing her thumb against Ashley's cheek and smiling at her.
Ashley grinned in response, "I've never had a family. I don't want you to pity me, Spencer, but I've been alone since I was sixteen. Raising myself and raising money however I could. I always, always wanted a family."
"And now you've got one," Spencer said, her eyes stinging, almost at the verge of shooting off tears. She fought them, but Ashley understood and kissed above her left eye.
They kissed tenderly, falling into each other and clinging for support. When they broke, the tears were fresh in both of their eyes, and Spencer flung her arms around Ashley, bringing her close. She wondered if Ashley cried often, and figured that it was highly unlikely. She loved her even more for feeling safe enough to cry in front of her. It was admirable, and it was pure.
"As much as I don't want to say goodbye, we need to get dressed and get you home," Ashley stated. All Spencer could do was nod. As carefully as she had placed her up there, Ashley lifted Spencer off the counter and placed her safely on the ground. They padded back to Ashley's bedroom and dressed silently.
Spencer tugged on her clothes from before, and Ashley dressed in a navy blue tank top and acid washed jeans that were ripped, low-slung, and torn in all the right places. She wore her leather jacket over the tank top and tousled her hair.
A few moments later, Spencer could feel Ashley's eyes watching her as she slid her peasant top carefully over her shoulders, moving it so it covered the gauze and tape. It was semi-sheer material, so it was visible if you wanted to scrutinize, but Spencer figured that it would be okay. After she couldn't handle feeling the intense watch of Ashley's eyes, she turned and flashed her lover a smile.
"Something on your mind?"
The brunette smirked and slid on a pair of simple black flip flops, walking over to Spencer and placing her hands rightfully on the blonde's hips. She watched her own hands for a moment before raking her eyes up to Spencer's face, stopping to glance over the thin lines of exposed skin for a moment before bursting into a full smile.
"You're glowing," Ashley remarked knowingly.
Spencer scoffed and licked her lips absently, "Well, fuck – I wonder why..."
"Could be all the amazing sex we've been having. The best I've ever had, I don't know about you..." Ashley said with an adoring smile as she pressed her body up against Spencer's, brushing her fingertips gently over the blonde's tender shoulder in a caring, yet possessive manner.
"You know it was the best," Spencer corrected, moving against Ashley in return, unable to keep her distance even if she tried. It was impossible – she needed her like oxygen, and without that sweet contact, she was getting lightheaded. Once they moved in together, she'd never have to stop kissing, touching, and making love to this beautiful, striking woman. Except when Erin was around, of course.
It was all a perfect dream, and Spencer knew she'd do anything to make it come true.
"I do, but you know how I like to make damn sure," Ashley said with a mischievous smile and head tilt that caused Spencer to chuckle sweetly. A few seconds later, Ashley's lips were once again latched onto Spencer's neck, murmuring promises of love and affection as they started the spark from deep within the blonde's core.
"Ash, if you insist on taking me home, you'll have to stop doing that," Spencer informed her lover. Ashley pulled away reluctantly, and shoved a pout up in Spencer's direction, mimicking a small child that had just had candy or a toy taken away and was being sent into time-out.
"Doing what?" Ashley purred, her face shifting into mock innocence that Spencer found completely adorable. And sexy, since she knew it was all just an act in hopes to get in her pants just once more.
"You know what, troublemaker," Spencer chided softly, swatting Ashley on the ass and letting her hands linger just a moment too long. Ashley chuckled darkly and pressed her breasts to Spencer's.
"Practice what you preach, Miss Carlin," Ashley said as her arms completely encircled Spencer's waist, indulging in her softness and body for as long as she was able. Saying goodbye would be so very hard.
"We just got all dressed and I want you to ravage me again," Spencer confessed, her eyes growing dark at the words she had uttered and the thoughts they provoked. The images of their mind-blowing sex that was still fresh in her mind. That would linger for days and days.
"I love it when you talk dirty," Ashley growled in Spencer's ear, moving in for another, hungrier kiss. Spencer ducked out of it a few moments later and pressed her finger to Ashley's lips, making a soft "shh'ing" sound.
"Baby, we really need to stop," Spencer said hesitantly, her body saying something completely different than her heart and her head. She didn't want to leave. She wasn't sure that she could.
Ashley certainly didn't want her to leave, but she nodded. If nothing else, she understood necessity, even if she disagreed.
"I'll take you to my car, and then we'll get yours at the beach. If there's a ticket, I'll take care of it," Ashley said, all business, her voice slightly stiff. Spencer could hear the pain in it. Evidently, she wasn't fond of goodbyes, even for a short time. Maybe she feared the outcome of things tomorrow as well.
If she thought things would end badly, she wouldn't go. Right? Please, God, say she wouldn't go...
"I can handle it, Ashley," Spencer assured her, keeping her arms wrapped gently around the brunette's neck, tracing up and down the back with her fingernails, just underneath her soft mane of dark curls.
"I'm not leaving you at the beach, you know. That's not where we say goodbye," Ashley said powerfully, startling Spencer a little bit.
"What do you mean?" Spencer asked, confused. Dark eyes looked up into hers finally, and Spencer could see her suspicions had been correct – saying goodbye was breaking her heart. Spencer was having trouble not crying, for she would have liked to be able to spend the night here, with Ashley. To sleep peacefully in her arms and wake to those eyes that she knew she could never live without.
But Erin and Brooke needed her, and Brooke deserved an explanation. Tonight, she'd tell her. Tonight, she'd pack. There were only so many nights she could stand without Ashley, and then she might implode.
"The block before your happy little suburb – I'll drive behind you. We'll stop there, and..." Ashley said, choking on her words before she could finish. It didn't matter, anyway. Spencer knew what she meant, and it hurt to even think of it.
"If that's what you need, babe," Spencer assured her, brushing the back of her hand along Ashley's cheek. She couldn't help but smile at how Ashley responded, moving into her touch and then turning her hand so she could place three soft kisses along her palm, moving up her fingers with the kisses and causing Spencer to sigh.
"I just need you, but we're going to have to wait for our morning..." Ashley admitted freely. It was endearing now, how she no longer skimped on emotion. She put everything out there for Spencer, good and bad. It was a quality one could only admire. Spencer loved her even more because of it.
"When we get it, I have no doubt it will be anything short of perfection," Spencer promised, leaning in for another slow kiss. Ashley pulled away and smiled, the first real smile since they mentioned parting ways.
"I've already seen perfection in you. Nothing else could beat that, but I'm hoping it comes close," Ashley whispered against the blonde's lips.
Spencer pressed the palm of her hand against the back of Ashley's head and led her into another kiss, longer and more passionate this time, robbing their lungs of breath before they broke – still connected at the heart.
"We need to go," Spencer said, keeping her eyes trained on Ashley. Her lover nodded once, then twice to shake free the emotions that were quickly surfacing.
"Yeah," Ashley said quietly, lacing her fingers with Spencer's and walking toward the front door, abandoning everything they had built during the course of the day and leaving it in the house for them to return to in the future. That is, if everything went according to plan.
The ride from Ashley's house to the beach was a silent one, but their hands never parted. The ride from the beach to Spencer's block, however, was painful. Spencer could feel the dull pounding of her heart against her body, betraying her, begging her to stop driving. To pull a U turn in the middle of the highway and go back to Ashley's. To kidnap Erin sometime tomorrow and leave Brooke a note.
She would have, too, if she wasn't an adult. Adults had to behave responsibly. Had to talk things out. Brooke's two years with her gave her the rights to an explanation, at the very least. Spencer just had to get the strength.
She pulled off to the side of the road right before her suburb started and watched as Ashley's car pulled in behind her. Spencer got out of the car and rested against the side of the driver's seat door that was now closed as Ashley turned off her engine and got out.
"So, this would be where you turn around and go home. I've got to go the other way..." Spencer said in a quick jumble of words that made no sense to either girl.
"Don't re-hash things that make my heart want to stop beating, Spencer. Please," Ashley said in the smallest, most vulnerable voice she had ever heard pass through anyone's lips. And this was the heartless, brutal Ashley Davies. The unstoppable killer and drug lord.
Her love.
"I'm sorry," the blonde said, pressing her hand to Ashley's cheek once more. Ashley pressed Spencer back against her car and kissed her deeply, furiously, passionately. She was trying to make up in kisses for the words she could not say without crying. She never cried.
Crying was a weakness, and she had already admitted that Spencer was one weakness. Why cop to another?
Spencer returned the kiss with need, her arms finding their rightful place around Ashley's hips, encouraging her and fueling her fire. Combining them as one and spreading promises on Ashley's lips that they would never part. Ashley sighed against the blonde's full, plush lips and pulled back. Spencer could see the water that had collected in those warm eyes, threatening to fall, but never pushing past their barrier.
Ashley was fighting.
"It's you and me, baby. Forever," Spencer promised Ashley, lacing their fingers again on the brunette's hip. Ashley looked down and smiled at the sight of them together like that.
"I can't help but believe you, Spencer. Don't make me regret it," Ashley asked her gently.
"Never," Spencer cooed, kissing her again deeply. Their tongues battled, and Ashley forced herself to pull away.
"I love you," the brunette swore.
"I love you, too," Spencer sighed out, tilting her head and then resting against the brunette's lithe, strong frame.
It's never goodbye for us, Ashley.
"You'll hear from me tomorrow," Ashley said before pulling away, swaying their hands as one before kissing the blonde's forehead and getting in her car. Spencer didn't respond, but blew her lover a kiss as she backed out onto the highway again. Spencer slumped back against her car and then got in once Ashley was out of sight.
Had she not been wrapped up with the brunette to the point her head was spinning, she would have stopped things before they got too far. She would have stopped in time to hide from a familiar Jeep driving by, down the quiet suburban street, on the way home from the grocery store.
Her secret was out. She just didn't know it yet.
A/N: So, my plan to finish this story (yes, it's almost over), is to post two per day for the next three days, which will lead up to the finale (Ch. 30) the day after that. So basically, four more days, and this story is one for the history books. I hope you've enjoyed. Ride's not quite over yet, but we're almost there. Let me know what you think!