Sad music came to life from the old speakers set up to their right and left giving it a surround sound. The sun drifted in and out of the darkening clouds threatening rain at any time. The family sat unfocused on anything but the dark rose wood coffin in front of them, it was closed casket seeing as how burned and messed up the body had gotten from the fire. Sniffling and cries of sadness spread thru the crowd as the preacher took his spot and recited passages from the bible or said some nice words about the man being laid to rest.

Spencer glanced down the line, first to her mother. She wore a long thick black dress, legs folded and a napkin placed firmly in her hand as it wiped away the tears on her cheeks. The blond realized her mother's blue eyes, the one thing besides the hair color that they shared, were darker more distant. This bringing the fact to attention that maybe her mother still did love her father in some way, at this thought her heart swelled up a bit with joy, then died back down when Ben came up behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder. Shaking her head she brought her eyes to Glen who sat next to their mother, his hair slicked down instead of its usual bounce, his black suit moving as he did for he was having a hard time sitting still as his eyes traveled the length of the coffin over and over again. Then to Clay who was sitting next to her, his body stiff and unmoving as if he did move the entire thing would fall apart, the family, his life, not one of her brother's were crying. She chalked it up to the fact that they were boys but what about her, she wasn't crying. All she was doing was staring at her family, then the casket, the preacher, the tree in the distance, the clouds above her than back to her family to start the whole process over again.

Finally the preacher stepped down to allow anyone who wanted to say a few words take his place. Several people, who Arthur helped by being the wonderful social worker he was, came up and retold their stories and how the man helped them out. Glen got up but by the middle of his speech couldn't stop the choked sobs until Clay came up, said a little something than took his brother back to their seats. Spencer was here, but she wasn't, each of the stories went in one ear and out the other until her mother got up to speak.

"Arthur was a wonderful husband and a great father," nine words...the speech was longer and filled with heart wrench cries and stories from the older woman but all Spencer heard was nine words. She couldn't take it, she stood quickly releasing Ashley's hand that had yet to let go even when their hands became sweaty and hot. She walked away, she felt the eyes on her and the disgusted grunts from the people as they talked about how a girl could just leave her father's funeral before it finished.

Stepping out of the iron gate, out of the cemetery she felt sick. Her stomach churned and her head felt light. Spencer didn't know too much at this point in her life, what she did know was she had to get away. Luckily she dressed in jeans and tennis shoes as her feet hit the pavement, she ran. The wind blowing thru her hair as she made her way down the steep hill leading back into the valley. The sky opening its mouth allowing the rain to drizzle down onto her clothes and skin but she didn't care. Her legs kept pumping kept moving even when her body felt like jello. She knew this was dangerous with the injuries she had, her stomach was hurting worse and worse with each step, her shot up leg throbbed painfully as if it was going to drop from beneath her but she ran. Spencer didn't know if she was running from something or to something.

Thunder boomed and lightning flashed across the sky as she collapsed to the hard gravel road, three miles from where the funeral was taking place. She lay on her back, on the side of the road, staring up into the rain up to the sky into the clouds and beyond. Her body shivered, she was freezing and her breathing was labored.

Heavy warmth spread thru her body, she brought her eyes from the sky to stare at deep chocolate orbs. Ashley was lying flat against her, shielding her from the constant water pouring around them, the older girl smiled as her breathing evened out, "You...run...fast..."

"You came after me?" her voice was low.

"Of course," Ashley leaned up on one arm so she could be eye to eye with her girlfriend, reaching out she pushed wet blond hair behind Spencer's ear before leaning down and capturing her lips, "I love you." She said pulling away.

They laid their in silence, neither knew how long but at this point time didn't matter, "Remember when we skipped?"

"You have to be more specific Spence; we've skipped more than once."

"The first time, at the beach." Ashley nodded indicating she did remember, "On our way home you told me you wished you could leave LA, hop on a plane and go anywhere."

"Yeah and you said it was you're first time ditching and skipping the country wasn't a great idea just yet,"

"I'm ready," Ashley had to think for a minute. The words were low and not exactly directed at her but the real question was can Ashley take her away, leave this place and take her girlfriend some place no one knew them, leave their families, this life even for a while.

"We'd have to check out some time,"

"But not now?" Spencer asked, her eyes finally staring straight at Ashley pleading.

"But not now," Ashley assured her. Standing up she held her hand out which Spencer gratefully took. The two started walking the rest of the way down, in the rain, Spencer leaning on Ashley as the pain continued to throb.

An hour or two and the girl's were back at Spencer's house, the blond quickly pulled out a suitcase and started piling clothes in, "Where should we go?"

"Bathroom," Ashley stated.

"We can go anywhere and you want to go to a bathroom?" Spencer cocked her eyebrow causing Ashley to burst out laughing, "What?"

"Wet clothes, need out hence the bathroom." She said between laughter.

"Oh," Spencer shook her head, grabbed some of Ashley's left over clothes and threw it at her.

"Thank you my lady," Ashley winked and exited. Spencer changed as well than went back to packing her bags.

"What's this?" the voice in the door way made Spencer stop and cringe.

"Mom,"

"What...are you running away?" Paula stepped into the room, glancing from the bags to her daughter.

"I...no...yes...um..."

"Why?" Paula pulled the suit case away, turning her daughter, forcing her to look at her, "Why are you leaving?"

"I killed him, you said so yourself. I thought you'd be happy I was leaving."

Paula took a step back, "Honey no you didn't...I was upset, it was happening so fast and when I was told what happened it just...I sort of snapped. I'm sorry if I made you feel even for a second that this was your fault, but Spencer it isn't."

"No mom, it is my fault. All of this!" Spencer yelled while throwing her hands around the room.

"Spence I think you need..." Ashley trailed off as she entered the room to see Paula; "Mrs. C?" the brunette immediately thought she was going to be blamed for this.

"Ashley," Paula nodded before turning back to her daughter, "Sweetie nothing is your fault...you've done nothing wrong."

"Right..." Spencer said sarcastically, "I've done nothing wrong. Bull shit mom, what about being gay huh? Loving Ashley, you tell me it's wrong every day. Tell me I'm messing up this family and what, now that I actually believe you...you want to tell me I'm not to blame. I can't handle this up and down rollercoaster any more," Spencer finished packing and zipped her bags up. Lifting them she headed out of her room but not before turning to her mom, "I can't handle you right now." Then she was outside in Ashley's car, which Clay and driven home since Ashley threw him the keys before chasing after her girlfriend.

Ashley followed but as she passed Paula the woman grabbed her arm, not forcefully or meanly just enough to hold her still, "Take care of her."

"Sure," she didn't say anything after that as Paula brought her into a huge bear crunching hug shocking her to silence.

"I'm really worried; she's emotion unstable right now." Paula whispered in her ear, Ashley nodded her head in the crook of the older woman's neck agreeing that she too knew Spencer was not healthy at the moment, "If you need anything...anything..." Paula pulled away and stared hard into her brown eyes, "Call. I'll be here," she smiled.

"Um thanks," Ashley stuttered not quite sure how to respond to this side of Paula Carlin, mother superior herself. She nodded and headed toward the door but turned back, "Actually...I'll call everyday, tell you what's going on, where we're at, and stuff like that."

"What about school?" Clay asked leaning in the door way.

"I'm going to call the school and explain, you guys can take the year off and home school when you get back. No later than June," Paula warned. She didn't like the idea of her daughter driving off to who knows where but with Ashley's money and Ashley herself there to protect the girl Paula didn't mind too much.

"Thank you," Ashley hugged her again only this time she initiated it before finally leaving the house and getting in her car. The two sat in silence as they drove to Ashley's house, trying to think of where to go and what to do.

TBC.