After being at her apartment for about ten minutes Ashley realized she couldn't stay there if she wanted any sleep. When she walked in the door she heard her answering machine message then after the beep.

"Ashley, hey babe it's Giuliana Rancic from E! News. I was wondering if you'd like to do a sit down about this new lady in your life and what else has been going on with you. Call me, it's been too long."

This made Ashley roll her eyes. She had once hooked up the apparently straight Giuliana. They had not exchanged a word since yet now they needed to catch up. The next three calls were from Sophia who was pissed to hear there was a new love in Ashley's life. There were two more calls from reporters before she was fed up.

As she walked out the door she dialed her cell phone.

"You coming over?"

"Yep. How did you know?"

"Duh I was there, I heard what you said and I'm guessing you're phone hasn't stopped ringing since you paid it."

"Well it was ringing off the hook while I was here so I can only imagine."

"Alright I'll see you in a bit Ash."

"I just wonder who this mystery woman is that had Ashley so distracted." Scott said. "All these chicks they keep showing her with are hot as hell."

"This is just ridiculous. Can't a girl have some privacy?" Cassie asked.

"Oh please, she's famous. She had to expect that people would wonder." Scott replied.

Cassie, Scott and Spencer sat in the pool house watching E! News. Their top news story was of course which of the many women Ashley had been pictured with was the one who had stolen her heart.

Jared came in and slumped onto one of the bar stools. Spencer immediately handed him a beer. The only response he gave was a weak nod.

Scott looked offer at his dejected looking friend and said, "Cheer up man! You did get the most talked about comment of the night, probably of the whole season!"

"That's not enough to save me though. I was horrible tonight. I'm definitely going home this week!"

"Maybe they'll throw in another twist and only send one person home. Kate was by far the worst of the night." Cassie said trying to give him some hope although she knew deep down he was probably right. She also knew that she may be in danger and although she liked Jared, this is a competition and she'd rather see him leave than her.

"Really it could be anyone going home. Who knows what the viewers will do." Spencer added without taking her eyes off the screen.

"One thing is for sure, Ashley will be in the hot seat tomorrow night." Scott said and everyone nodded in agreement. "It was all so strange, her rambling you know. I don't get the evasiveness of the comment. Why didn't she just say the performance made me think of how happy I am with my girl then insert a name? We all get that, good love songs make you think of the one you love, why not just say it?"

Spencer and Cassie looked at each other. They both knew exactly why but it was a secret they couldn't tell. Suddenly Spencer's cell phone rang. She went outside to answer the call.

"I think she was just trying to be nice and take the focus off the fact that I sucked." Jared answered.

"What the hell were you thinking Ash?" Kyla asked her sister instead of a proper greeting at the front door.

"Wow good to see you too Ky. I'm guessing Dylan is asleep cause I'm guessin you would get in trouble from both Carlin woman for talking like that around him." Ashley said as she strolled past her sister.

"Yeah he is but don't change the subject on me Ashley Davies." Kyla angrily replied.

As Kyla yelled Ashley headed to the kitchen to grab herself a beer. As she closed the door she found herself face to face with Paula.

Before Kyla could start again Paula spoke. "Ashley can I ask you one question before Kyla says anything more?"

"Of course Mrs. Carlin." Ashley replied formally sing Paula's mood was unreadable. Ashley suddenly felt very nervous.

"The person you rambled about on the show tonight, who was it? Tell me the truth Ashley."

"That's easy, it was Spencer."

"Good!" Paula said with a smile. "And no more calling me Mrs. Carlin. I feel old enough being a grandma."

"Okay Paula." Ashley said with a smile. "Can we all talk? Well I talk and you guys listen for a bit?" She added looking at Kyla.

Paula simply sat at the table waiting for the sisters to join her.

"Alright sis, this better be good." Kyla replied as she sat next to Paula.

Ashley sat across from them feeling uneasy about facing the potential firing squad rather than what she was going to say.

"I came into this show just like every other one ready to set my feelings for Spencer aside to be an impartial judge. I was doing very well through most of the show but I messed up. When I saw Spencer at the piano and Jared singing my mind wandered. I was thinking the lyrics like I was singing them to her. Cheesy I know but oh well." Ashley could feel tears coming on but she needed to get this out. "Paula I have been falling in love with your daughter since the night I saw her on stage at Kyla's bar. The more I've gotten to know her the more I love her. I promise to make her as happy as I can if she still wants me. And I will do the best I can not to hurt her or Dylan or you for that matter. I can't promise anything because who knows what the future holds but I'll try my best, that I can promise."

"Well Ashley dear I admire your honesty, good and bad. I know this whole thing has been hard on both of you but in the end I think this will make us all a stronger family." Paula said with a smile.

Ashley looked to Kyla who was being uncharacteristically quiet. "Ky?"

"Is there any way that anyone outside of the people who have been in this house know that your mystery girl is Spencer?"

"I don't think so." Ashley said tentatively.

"Ash?" Kyla said sternly.

"Ky you know as well as I do that I can't guarantee that. We've been careful, only seeing each other for show stuff and family stuff. You are a link between us that the producers already knew about and were okay with."

"Well okay." Kyla thought for a moment then added. "Well Paula, looks like we're gonna be family for real now."

Paula laughed then said, "It is looking that way."

"Ash can I plan the wedding?" Kyla asked excitedly.

"What?"

"Well I think it should be a small family affair you know…"

Ashley interrupted. "Ky let's get through the next year first. Spencer and I can't be together til after the concert tour and even then who knows if we'll even work out."

"You'll work out." Kyla confidently stated.

"Glad someone's sure about this, cause I'm sure not." Ashley replied. "I'm gonna get some sleep. I don't think it would be a good idea for me to be grumpy tomorrow."

Cassie and Spencer decided to take a walk around the grounds so they could talk privately.

"So how do you feel about Ashley's rambling? That had to make you feel good right?" Cassie asked.

"Good I guess. But what if she wasn't talking about me? Did you see all those women they were showing her with on TV, I can't compete with them?" Spencer said. She tried to stop the tears she felt coming but couldn't. "Cass what if she wasn't?"

"Spencer?" Cassie said gathering her friend into a hug. "You don't have to compete with anyone; of course she was talking about you."

"But…"

"Spence you have something none of those other bitches have."

"How do you know they're bitches, they're probably perfect unlike me."

"Focus Spencer!" Cassie said as she stood eye to eye with the blonde. "You have her heart, that's all that matters."

"Well forgive me Cass is I don't have a whole lot of faith in that. I'm no one compared to the women she's been with. Why in the hell would she want me?"

"Okay I'm not playing this game with you Spence. I can't speak for anyone else but I know I am glad that you're in my life. You are a wonderful person so never question why someone would want you in their life." Cassie said seriously.

"Thank you Cass. I know I'm being silly I just don't know what to do about anything you know. I'm in this relationship yet not in this relationship. I think it's just messing with my mind." Spencer said sadly.

"Well I think things will work out in the end Spence. But till then let's just get through the rest of this competition and do what we set out to do from day one." Cassie said hugging Spencer.

"What is it we planned to do?"

"Finish one two of course. With me winning naturally." Cassie said smiling at Spence then giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"Yeah that's what you think. Good thing I know better. I'm winning this thing." Spencer smiled for the first time on their walk.

"We'll just see." Cassie said with a laugh.

Julia sat by the pool watching the exchange between Cassie and Spencer. She couldn't hear anything that was being said, she didn't even mean to be spying but Spencer looked upset so she was concerned.

As she watched the two friends got closer and there was tenderness to the exchange that sent Julia's mind racing. She began to wonder if something was going on between Spencer and Cassie. Julia didn't think it was in either woman's character to carry on such a relationship; Cassie seemed happy with her new husband and Spencer didn't seem the type to go after a married straight woman. On the other hand Julia didn't know either of them well enough to know for sure. She also thought back to her last conversation with Cassie. The whole exchange seemed tense she realized. It was like there was something Cassie wanted to say but couldn't. Maybe that was it; Cassie was less supportive of Julia expressing her feelings cause they have this secret romance going on.

Ashley woke up to find Dylan curled up next to her. She didn't remember him coming in or putting her arm around him but there he was hugging her arm sleeping away. She smiled while she looked down at him. She had never thought about having kids after a heartbreaking miscarriage in her teenage years, but here she was this adorable little boy and all she wanted to do was take care of him. She could tell Spencer was an amazing mom but she wanted to be a part of it all.

The door quietly opened and she saw Kyla peeking in.

"Have you…" Kyla started but was quickly cut off.

"Shhhh…" Ashley pointed down to Dylan.

"Awe, how cute!" Kyla whispered. "We were looking for him. I should have known he would have found you."

"Yeah I don't know when he came in here. I just woke up and here he was."

"You guys don't whisper very quietly." Dylan said in a sleepy and grumpy voice.

"Sorry little man." Ashley said trying not to laugh.

Dylan turned to face Ashley. He had a huge smile on his little face. "It's okay Ashy. If Aunty Ky is looking for me it's probably time for breakfast. Let's go eat, I'm starving!"

"Okay little man. I'll meet you down there in a couple minutes."

Julia had planned all morning for her lunch with Spencer. She had talked to her when she walked through the pool area after her walk with Cassie. Julia had to put her suspicions out of her mind and prepare for the biggest lunch of her life. She had set up in the pool house and told those who could enter the pool house to stay away for the afternoon.

Spencer walked out to the pool house feeling uneasy. Julia asking her to have lunch seemed odd. It's not that her and Julia weren't friends sort of but they definitely weren't close. She accepted the offer more out of curiosity than anything else.

The two women ate their salads and sandwiches in silence. It was awkward but the food was good so Spencer didn't mind the silence. After finishing their food Spencer could tell Julia was antsy.

"Julia, I've gotta ask, why did you ask me to have lunch with you? It's not that I don't appreciate it, the food was really good but it kinda came out of left field."

"Well there is actually something I wanted to talk to you about Spence." Julia answered but then remained silent.

"Okay, so what's up?" Spencer asked. After a few more moments of silence she continued. "You know you can talk to me about anything. I've been told I'm a pretty good listener."

Julia could barely bring herself to look at the beautiful blonde across the table from her. She had come up with a lot of different ways to say it but now in the moment her mind was drawing a blank. "Well Spence, I ah… Look I just wanted you to know that I ah…"

"Julia relax. Whatever it is you can tell me." Spencer said with concern in her face.

"Spence, I ahh.. Okay here it goes. I like you. I like you a lot and I was hoping that maybe you might be interested in me too."

Spencer sat stunned for a moment. True she wasn't sure what Julia wanted to talk about but this was a complete shock. How had she not seen that Julia had a crush on her? Then she also wondered why people had such crappy timing. The truth was if she hadn't have met Ashley, Spencer might consider seeing where things with Julia may go.

"Look I didn't mean to catch you so off guard. I've been trying to figure out how to tell you how I was feeling."

"Julia, you did surprise me that's for sure. Look I'm flattered but…"

Julia jumped in, "You just aren't interested right?"

"I'm sorry. Maybe if circumstances were different but right now I'm in a relationship."

"Oh. Okay." Julia said and began cleaning up the table.

"Julia I am sorry. You are a wonderful person, you'll find someone."

"Thanks Spence." Julia said but inside she was pissed. She now knew that Cassie and Spencer were an item and it pissed her off. Not because she couldn't have Spencer, but because she had completely misjudged both of them.