Chapter 52

Author's Note: I am so sorry it has taken so long for me to get this chapter up. I've been distracted by a number of issues, one of them… yours truly. Anyway, good or bad here it is.

Aiden exams Spencer after Spencer wakes up from being in a coma for five days.

"Well good morning Sleeping Beauty. Can you tell me your name?" Aiden asked.

"Spencer Carlin," she quickly replied.

"How do you feel?"

"Except for a slight headache I feel fine Dr. Dennison. Where's Ashley?"

"I'm right here babe." Ashley walks over to the bed to hold Spencer's hand kissing it. "Hey you," Ashley said. "You had us all worried."

"I did, I'm sorry," Spencer said looking at Ashley with love in her eyes.

"Spencer how much do you remember?" Aiden asked.

"Well, I remember I was born in Ohio, some twenty-six years ago. My parent's names are…"

"Not that far back smart ass," Aiden said interrupting her. Ashley laughed.

"You weren't specific Dr. Dennison," Spencer said winking at Ashley.

"Why don't you start with your wedding day and Alex coming into your bedroom."

"Well it started out a beautiful day, the sun was shining, the birds were singing and I felt like I was in heaven because I was going to become Mrs. Ashley Davies," Spencer said smiling at Ashley.

Rolling his eyes, "and you woke up out of that coma a comedian didn't you?" Can we be more specific about the happenings of that day?" Ashley continued to snicker at her fiancée's responses to Aiden's questions.

"Dr. Dennison… Aiden, is it necessary for me to rehash that poorly written chapter in our lives? I really don't want to talk about it. I don't want to remember it."

"Spencer I need to know how much you remember after you lost consciousness and your subsequent surgery."

"Okay, fine… I remember Alex calmly walking into my bedroom, closing and locking the bedroom door behind her. Babbling about how I stole Ashley away from her. She eventually pulled out a gun from her purse threatening to shoot me with it, later hitting me in the head with the butt of it. Ouch, you know that really did hurt," she said frowning.

"Is that all you remember Spencer?"

"No I remember Ashley pleading with Alex to let me go so I could be taken to the hospital and…" Spencer hesitates, frowning again.

"And," Aiden said.

"Ashley tried to trick Alex into believing she didn't love me anymore, so she would let me go." Spencer said squeezing Ashley's hand. "I would have never left you to deal with Alex by yourself. She was crazed, her eyes were filled with hate, not just for me but for you Ashley. She kept telling me she hated you for loving me but than she kept saying she loved you and that you belonged to her. She wouldn't listen to anything I had to say. After that I don't remember too much else."

"It's okay babe, you blacked out."

"So what happened with Alex?" Spencer asked.

"Alex is in jail and she'll be there for a long, long time. This time she doesn't get to go to some fancy sanatorium in Switzerland and her father's money won't save her either. She tried to kill you and they're going to put her away."

Aiden interrupts, "well it doesn't seem like you've lost any recent or past memories. That's good, Ashley your surgical skills are excellent. I guess we can now say the surgery was a success. It's like you never had a problem with your hands." Spencer gives them both a strange look.

"Surgery, that's the second time you mentioned surgery. What surgery are you talking about?" Spencer asked.

Ashley and Aiden looked at each other. "I'll let Ash explain to you Spencer. I'll see you later this evening. Good job Ash," he said patting Ashley on the back.

Aiden leaves Spencer's room and Ashley just stares at Spencer. "Even with that bandage wrapped around your head you still look beautiful," Ashley said. Spencer blushes.

"Come and lay here with me Ash." Ashley takes off her shoes and climbs into bed with Spencer, snuggling her body as close to Spencer's as she could.

"So I had to have surgery? And I thought I was wearing the new fashion in headwear for patients staying in the hospital with sutured up head wounds," she said giggling. "Ow!"

"What's the matter babe?"

"My face is a little sore. I guess Alex slapped me harder than I remember."

"Your cheek is still a little swollen. I'll tell the nurse to bring you something to help the swelling go down. I'm sorry she hurt you Spence, but you're healing quite well and you're in good spirits judging by the lighthearted repartee you had with Aiden," Ashley said looking into Spencer's eyes.

"I am just so happy to be alive and here looking at your beautiful face Ashley. I can't begin to explain how I feel," she said her eyes sparkling.

"You don't have to Spence, I can see it in your eyes. I've missed looking into those sparkling blue eyes of yours… so beautiful."

"Ashley I love you so much," Spencer said as she pressed her lips softly against Ashley's.

"Now my darling, back to the explanation of my needing surgery and my new headwear, I can't seem to remember any of that," Spencer said raising her hand up touching her head.

"You were in a coma from the time you were brought to the hospital to having the surgery. Therefore, you don't have a memory of that. You had a blood clot that was applying pressure and swelling to the brain. We had to relieve the pressure before it did any damage."

"You did the surgery?" Spencer asked.

"There was no one else left qualified to do it."

"I'm glad Ash because I trust you with my life," she said kissing the fingers and palm of Ashley's hand.

"Yeah literally," Ashley said smiling. Spencer's smile faded as she gazed into Ashley eyes. "What's wrong Spence, are you ill?"

"I'm fine Ash," she said feeling the bandage on head. "It's just … well we didn't get married," Spencer said tears starting to fall down her cheeks.

"Don't cry babe. Neither rain nor sleet nor gloom of night nor the actions of crazy people will stop us from getting married. As soon as you're better we're going to get married. I'm thinking Aruba where we had planned to go on our honeymoon," Ashley said. "I remember seeing a letter on your desk about a book conference in Aruba. We can get a marriage license there."

"When is the book conference Ashley I don't remember the date."

"It's in six weeks babe. That gives you plenty of time to recuperate and make the necessary arrangements to attend your conference and I will arrange the wedding and request the necessary time off… again. I would like Aiden and Kyla to come with us if their schedules will allow it and be our witnesses and whoever else wants to be a witness to our marriage can come too, but we are getting married in six weeks."

"That sounds like a plan Ashley, I can't wait," she said touching the bandage on her head again.

"Babe, why do you keep touching your head?" Ashley asked concerned.

"You did surgery on my head, correct?"

"Yeah?" She replied, pondering what Spencer was trying to get at.

"And when you do surgery on someone's skull don't you have to cut their hair off?"

"Uh… yeah. Listen Spence…" Spencer interrupted.

"Did you… um, have to cut some of my hair or all of my hair off?"

Ashley looked down at their hands nervously intertwining them, "Spence we had to shave all your hair off for the surgery."

"So I have no hair under this wrapping," Spencer said a tear rolling down her cheek.

Ashley reached for Spencer hugging her tightly. "It's going to be okay Spence your hair will grow back and while it does you will look just as beautiful as ever. Hell you might even like the short hair look. I love you whether you have long hair, short hair or no hair."

"I'm not a vain person Ash, but my hair was a part of my persona."

"And it will be again babe. It'll grow back so fast you won't even have time to miss it," Ashley said. "Don't cry over it, you'll always look beautiful in my eyes."

"I love you Dr. Davies with all my heart."

"And I love Spencer Carlin with all my heart."

///

Knock, knock… "Come in," Spencer called out.

"Hi, sweetheart."

"Dad, mom come in, how are you?"

"We're good Spencer but the question is, how are you?" Arthur asked.

"I'm great," Spencer replied.

"Where's Ashley?" Paula asked.

"She went to check on a couple of patients, talk to Aiden and than call Rita about getting me some hair to wear while my real hair grows back."

"Oh Spencer I can help you with that. I can go out and buy a couple of wigs that will look like you real hair."

"Thanks mom, but it's not a rush. I can't do anything until they remove this bandage. Ashley just wanted to get Rita started on some ideas about what could be done for my hairless head before I'm released from the hospital. I guess she knows I don't want to leave the hospital having a head that looks like Mr. Clean or Sinead O'Connor or Brittany Spears."

"Spencer, Mr. Clean is quite a handsome looking man without any hair on his head," Paula said.

"He's a man mom, a fictitious man at that. It's not unusual to see a man with a clean shaven head, but a woman, now that's a different story," Spencer said rolling her eyes. Brittany and Sinead can do it, not me. I liked my hair."

"Aw, honey it'll be alright, you'll look beautiful no matter what condition your head is in, Arthur said."

"Thanks dad. I'm hoping six weeks is enough time for my hair to have grown back a little so that I can at least wear it in a bob style than I won't need a wig."

"What's happening in six weeks Spencer?" Paula asked.

"Ashley and I are going to Aruba to get married and I would like it if my parents were there to give me away."

"Ah, honey that's great, we'll be there with bells on. Are you sure you're going to do this in six weeks? Arthur asked.

"Positive, six weeks from now I'll be Mrs. Ashley Davies," Spencer said with a never ending grin on her face.

///

Six weeks later… Spencer and Ashley are on a plane to Aruba.

"This is going to be so awesome," Ashley said. "I rented a house on the beach and the judge there will marry us at the house or on the beach depending on the weather for that day."

"That's great Ashley. The book conference begins a couple of days after the wedding, giving us a few days to relax and just be together and then we'll still have time together after the conference ends to go and explore the island," Spencer said.

"Great! What times does your parent's flight come in?" Ashley asked.

"Five o'clock tomorrow. Will the house be big enough to accommodate everyone? It's at least four couples, five when you include us."

"Oh no Spence, I reserved rooms for them at a nearby hotel. They'll be staying there before and after the wedding, not in the house with us. No way!"

"Okay Ashley there is no need to get hostile," Spencer said laughing. "Putting them up in a hotel was smart thinking."

"You damn right, I want you all to myself before all the wedding activities begin. You remember how everybody was the first time. We couldn't get anytime alone," Ashley whined.

"It's all good Ash. Did Aiden say when he and Kyla was coming because Kyla never got back to me?" Spencer asked.

"Yes, their flight doesn't arrive until tomorrow and I told him not to get caught up with any last minute hospital business because they may miss their flight and since he and Kyla are standing with us I didn't want to postpone the wedding waiting for them to get here," Ashley explained.

///

Spencer and Ashley's plane finally lands at the airport in Aruba. After disembarking the plane, they looked around for their driver. "How are we supposed to know who is picking us up?" Spencer asked.

"Perhaps the guy with the sign over there with our names on it would know," Ashley said laughing.

"Ha, ha Ashley, I didn't see him standing there. Wow he looks a lot like Jerome."

"Yeah he does," she said as they walk over to him. "Hi, you must be Russell?"

"Yes that is me and you two must be Ashley and Spencer."

"Yes that is us," Ashley said imitating Russell's demeanor. He gave her a slight smile.

"Ashley behave," Spencer whispered giggling.

"How was your flight?" Russell asked.

"It was great. It was a long flight from L.A.., than two and a half hours flying over water, I was happy to see land. I didn't know Aruba had its own airport," Spencer said.

"Aruba is bigger than most people think?"

"Yes I'm very surprised," Spencer replied. "Aruba is a beautiful place and the water is so clear and blue."

"Just like your eyes Spence," Ashley said kissing Spencer's cheek. She blushes.

"Your bags are already in the car, please follow me."

'You know Russell you look just like Jerome. Are you two related?" Spencer asked.

"Yes ma'am, Jerome is my first cousin. Some people think we're twins."

"Jerome didn't tell me you were related, he just recommended you. He said you had the best transportation service on the island and since I trust Jerome's judgment I didn't question him."

"Yeah that sounds like my cousin, he never elaborates on anything."

"Well he did say you knew the island like the back of your hand and if we asked, you wouldn't mind being our tour guide while we were here honeymooning."

"Yeah, I was raised here. My folks moved here when I three years old so you could say I know the island and the surrounding ones as well. I'm at your disposal for the duration of your stay here. My cousin told me to take care of you both and that's what I plan to do."

"Thank you Russell," they both said.

///

It's the evening before the wedding, Ashley and Spencer are having dinner with family and those who were able to come to Aruba to attend the wedding. They decided to have their pre-wedding dinner on a catamaran. With the weather cooperating and the waters calm they thought some of their guests would enjoy their meal floating on the waters of the Caribbean and watching the sunset Aruba was known for from the catamaran.

"So Ashley, Spencer are you ready for tomorrow?' Arthur asked.

"Yes!" They both exclaimed. "I am so excited Arthur, I'm finally going to make an honest woman of Spencer," she said giving Spencer a peck on her cheek.

"What a wonderful idea to have the wedding here in Aruba," Paula said. "Remember when we were last here Arthur?"

Arthur turned red… "um, yes I do… vividly."

"Hey Ash," Aiden yelled excitedly dragging Kyla with him. "Ash this is so great and romantic, maybe you should have the wedding on this boat. Did you see the sunset it was awesome."

"This is not a boat Aiden, it's a catamaran. A sailing vessel with two parallel floats attached to it," Ashley explained to her overly excited friend.

"Oh, my bad," Aiden said chuckling.

"We thought about having it here, but decided a luau on the beach after the wedding would be better."

"A luau, does that mean we get to see a whole pig roasting in the ground and dancers shaking their hips?" Kyla asked just as excited as Aiden.

"We didn't say a traditional Hawaiian luau but it'll be close to it Kyla," Spencer said. "I swear you two are becoming like twins now. Kyla I've never seen you get so excited over small things like roasting a pig."

"Well I guess that's what being in love does to you. Getting excited about the insignificant things in one's life can make you happy, as long as you're sharing it with the one you love," Aiden said defensively, hugging Kyla tightly.

"Don't get defensive Aiden, we think you two are cute," Ashley said giggling.

"Okay everybody I've just been told the dinner buffet is ready so let's dig in and enjoy our meal," Spencer said.

///

While everyone was enjoying the festivities of the evening, Aiden stood up clanging his glass with a knife. "Hello people. May I have your attention please."

Everyone had quieted down to listen to what Aiden had to say. "For those of you who don't know me, I'm Aiden Dennison, Ashley's best man."

"Aiden I think everyone here knows who you are," Kyla said giggling.

"Yeah, yeah Aiden go on," the crowd said.

"There is no need to get rowdy," Aiden chided.

"Go on Aiden," Arthur shouted.

"Thank you Arthur… like I was saying, before I was so rudely interrupted, I am Aiden Dennison, the best man. On behalf of the bride and bride, I want to thank everyone for coming to this long-awaited wedding ceremony. I want to propose a toast to my best friend for life, my colleague and all around pain in the ass, Ashley Davies and her soon to be better half Spencer Carlin. Ashley I've known you a long time and seen you through several relationships but this one you have with Spencer is the best and even with all the drama that you two have been through your love for each other has never wavered and is stronger than ever."

"Being a physician myself, I've always frowned on physicians and patients developing romantic interests in one another but I think yours was brought together by fate and nothing was going to stop it from happening. I hope you two have a long and happy life and fall more deeply in love with each other than you already are."

"To Ashley and Spencer… Spashley forever."

Aiden and the crowd raised their glasses to toast the couple. "Thanks Aid," Ashley said as tears streamed down her face. Turning to Spencer, she gives her a kiss.

Author's Note: Okay I thought I could do it all in this chapter but not so. I have one more chapter to go which is the Wedding… finally. I'll try to get it up as soon as I can but sometimes things work against you when you're trying to write in your spare time and not be distracted. And remember this is fantasy, no checking for true facts. I wanted them married in Aruba. It's nice there.