You're not dreaming... after 4 years... here is the new chapter. I promised to finish this story and I will. I can't apologize enough for this delay and I sure hope some of you are still here :) hope you enjoy this new chapter, the next one is already written and should be posted during the following days. I also hope you are all doing ok during those difficult times and that you are all safe. Anyway, enough of me ! as always I don't owe SON (unfortunately), only this storyline !
Ashley tried to open her eyes but everything was bright, way too bright to bare. The voices around her sounded muffled, as if they were heard from under water. She tried to move but every limb in her body hurt. Images slowly started to come back to her, Spencer hurt, Spencer shouting to her, the gunshots.
"'enc'r…" She tried to say but she couldn't even hear her own voice, it was hoarse and weak. Yet, she felt a hand slip into hers.
"It's ok Ash, don't move, you're ok" Kyla tried to reassure, but her sister started to struggle to get up. She gently put a hand against her chest, forcing her to lie down. "It's ok" She soothed "The doctor said you had to stay still, please Ash…"
"Spencer…" Ashley repeated, this time with more force. Her vision was still slightly blurred, but she could make out her sister's face, and another person was standing a few feet behind. She blinked a couple of times and took a look around the room she was in, everything was white and sterile. The Hospital… When her sister didn't answer, Ashley squeezed her hand, trying to get the younger Davies to look at her.
"I… I don't know… She's still in surgery… "Kyla whispered, casting her eyes down, and Ashley felt her heart stop for a second. Surgery?
"Wh-what happened?"
"You two found yourselves in the middle of a shooting… I don't know what happened, Ash… The cops found you lying unconscious and Spencer… "Kyla choked, taking a second before starting to talk again "Spencer was shot… "
At hearing those words, those dreadful and awful words, Ashley tried to get up again, and was once again pulled back down, this time by two pair of arms. She finally saw who the second person in the room was.
"Calm down, Chica, you have a concussion. Your girl doesn't need you to turn stupider than you already are "Madison tried to joke, but for once, she herself didn't even feel it.
"I n-need to see her" Ashley argued, tears gathering in her eyes.
"I know, babe. But right now there's nothing you can do, the doctors are taking care of her, I'll go see if there's news if you want? "The Latina offered and Ashley could only nod, weakly.
Once Madison had left the room, Kyla took her sister's hand again, stroking the back of it.
"I was so scared Ash… When we saw your text, we immediately called Mike. He denied being with you and Madison started to get angry, Calvin called him a fucking liar, saying that you had texted us… He finally spilled it all… "Kyla was silently crying, and things were starting to make sense for Ashley. That's probably how they had found them at the warehouse. "He said that he didn't have a choice, that they weren't going to hurt you, that they just wanted the money… "
Again, Ashley squeezed her sister's hand, silently reassuring her that she was fine, at least physically. Her heart though, seemed to be trapped under a two ton truck. She couldn't lose Spencer, not now, not like that. She didn't even get the chance to tell her how sorry she was for the way she had reacted. There were so many things she needed to tell the blonde. She wanted to tell her that it wasn't too late, that it'd never be, that she wanted for things to work between them, she wanted to tell her that she loved her too… She wanted to tell her that she wanted to take a chance on them, that she knew they were meant to be… She wanted a chance to kiss the blonde and never let go again… She wanted a chance to raise Dany with her and be happy with them… God, Dany…
"Where is Dany?" Ashley asks with a start, again trying to get up.
"He's… hum… "
"Kyla!" Ashley shouted, startling the brunette.
"He's with Glen outside… "
"Glen?" Ashley asked confused. And as if it had been some sort of weird summoning, the older Carlin sibling got his head through the door, softly knocking on the door.
"Hey Davies, mind some company?"
Ashley shook her head, dumbfounded. He hadn't changed at all. He still wore this stupid goatee that she secretly loved on him, his hair was still unkempt. He was wearing a light blue polo and some brown Bermuda shorts. He smiled and she couldn't help the tears that fell at the sight.
She and Glen had been friends from the very beginning, even before she started crushing on his younger sister. She had been scared to tell him, scared to lose the only true friend she had aside from Spencer, but just like his sister, he had the kindest of hearts…
10 years earlier
"So, Davies, we're in for the game this weekend, right?" Glen asked Ashley who was lying on her stomach on his bed, beating the buttons of a Playstation controller.
"Man, I hate basketball… Do we really have to? "She whined and he chuckled. She always said the same thing but always ended up going with him anyway, she was just that good of a friend.
"Well, unless you have better plans? "He teased.
"As a matter of fact… I do "Ashley grinned, taking advantage of his sudden distraction to kill his character in the video game they'd been playing. "Take that, loser! "
"First, you're an ass, and second, seriously, you have plans?"
"Well, not plans, per se, but uh… Spencer offered to hang out so… if you don't mind… "She looked unsure and he decided to cut her some slack.
"Ok, fine, I shouldn't be surprised that you would rather hang out with her, you're a lady lover after all" Glen winked and she slapped his arm.
"Ok gross, she's your sister dude!"
"What?" he laughed "I didn't realize there was something gross goin' on between my sister and you! "
"There's not!" Ashley was quick to correct. "She's straight… "She added more quietly.
Glen looked at her curiously, trying to understand her strange change of behavior. He liked messing with her, especially about her 'girlfriends' and she usually laughed along with him. But it was indeed his sister they were talking about, and Ashley's reaction didn't really make sense to him.
"I know she's straight, Ash! I was just messing with you "She casted her eyes down and exhaled heavily." Ash? What's wrong? "
The brunette shrugged, not really knowing how she could explain to him the strange feelings she'd been having lately for his baby sister. When he hesitantly put his hand on her shoulder, she closed her eyes.
"I-I like her… "She whispered.
"Yeah, I know, you've been spending more time with her than me lately" he teased but frowned when Ashley still wouldn't look at him. He watched her attentively until a figurative light bulb went on in his head. "Oh… "
Ashley couldn't bring herself to look at him but his silence was deafening and she felt her heart tighten in her chest as the mere thought of losing his friendship.
"Glen?" her voice was soft and hesitant but it brought his eyes toward her.
"I'm sorry Ash… Man that must suck… "
"What?" she asked, not understanding what he meant.
"Well, it sucks 'cause she's straight and all and you have to keep it all inside without being able to talk to her… But you know you can talk to me, right? »
She looked into his blue eyes that were so similar to the ones she loved so much and wrapped her arms around him in an impromptu hug.
"Thank you Glen… "
"Ok, ok "he patted her back a couple of times before pulling back." Don't go all soft on me, it freaks me out "he joked and Ashley could only smile. She had no reasons to be afraid, it was Glen, the guy who had beaten some jock who had harassed her, the guy who checked out girls with her, the guy who ruffled her hair and pinched her side when she would kick his ass on some video game. This was her best male friend. "Come on, I so want a rematch!" He said, picking the controller back and nudging her gently.
"Well… I have to say that you aged pretty well "Glen smiled, taking the now vacant seat Kyla had previously been on.
"Glen… "It was all she needed to burst into tears, but he was quick to wrap his arms around her small waist.
"Hey, it's ok… Spence will be ok… She's a fighter, and she hasn't waited 7 years to have you back just to leave you now, trust me"
"You-you knew? "
" Ash… she's my sister… just because you disappeared overnight doesn't mean I stopped caring about you, and Madison informed me on the latest Spashley drama while we were waiting " he gave her a kind smile. " I haven't seen Spencer for a while, but we still talk on the phone regularly. She told me she was trying to win you back. Did she succeed?" He winked and Ashley chuckled.
"You know she can be pretty convincing "She paused for a minute and sighed " But I didn't get the chance to tell her that… "
"Yet… You didn't get the chance yet. As soon as she's awake, you two are going to be locked in a room, just like the good old days "He winked. And just like the good old days, she slapped her arm.
"That's gross, she's your sister dude!"
And as if he knew what memory she was reenacting, he just laughed and said "What? I didn't realize there was something gross goin' on between my sister and you! "
They shared another smile and this time, she was the one taking his hand.
"I'm so sorry I disappeared on you… I just-I couldn't deal with the pain anymore..."
"I know Ash... and you didn't really disappear, you came and told me you were leaving. It was just hard, you know? My sister was just a shell of who she used to be, my best friend left... and well... you know, at home, things just went worse. Dad resented my mom, Spencer wouldn't talk to anyone, and Clay..." he choked on his words before shaking his head. "I left, not long after you. I was offered a position in one of the New York teams and I left. I couldn't stand to be anywhere near them..."
"I'm sorry I wasn't there for you Glen... I'm so, so sorry... I- I can't lose her... not now... not after all we had to go through..."
"You're not gonna lose her, Ash, I told you, she's not going down without a fight, and she has so many reasons to fight right now. She has the most amazing kid on earth, and she has you now, right?"
"Yeah... she does..."
They talked some more, Glen trying to take her mind out of things, retelling what happened in his life for the last few years, and Ashley talking about hers.
After half an hour, Madison poked her head through the door.
"Glen? The doctor wants to see you... he said he could only share personal info with a family member"
The Carlin brother squeezed Ashley's shoulder, mumbling a reassurance before he left the room. Madison took his place, giving the brunette an understanding smile.
"Don't worry your pretty head Ash. You know, there's a cutie outside that would really like to see you" she grinned and Ashley answered in a similar way.
"Bring him here"
Less than 10 seconds after, she saw a blur of blonde hair jump on her. She suppressed a groan of pain and hugged the kid tightly.
"Hey pumpkin'" she gave him a tender smile and he finally pulled back
"You hurt Ashwey?" He asked, full of concern.
"No, I'm all good. I just needed a little rest"
"Is mommy hurt?" He asked more softly.
Ashley didn't know how to answer that question. She didn't want to lie to the kid, but she didn't know how bad his mother was hurt, and it was eating her alive.
"Yeah baby... but your mommy is strong, you know that, right?" Ultimately she didn't want to lie. But when his little blue eyes filled with tears, she once again felt her heart break. "Hey, don't worry, ok? I'll stay with you until your mommy is ok"
"I wove mommy so much" Dany cried "and I didn't towd her..."
"Neither did I..." she whispered. "She knows you love her Dan, and you can tell her when she wakes up, yeah?"
"And you can tewl her too?"
Ashley smiled, feeling hope for the first time since she woke up in this hospital.
"Yeah baby, I will tell her too..."
And she would. They deserved this chance. Dany deserved to have a real family who cared for him; Spencer deserved someone who would love her unconditionally. Even after everything that had happened between them, Ashley knew that they were always meant to be. Maybe it was time to put the past behind and look forward, toward the future, a future they could have together. A future she couldn't see herself sharing with anyone other than the blonde. They were just kids back then, Spencer had made a mistake, but she had spent the last few months trying to make amends for it. Sure, it was sometimes clumsy, but she knew Spencer was honest, she knew that the blonde loved her, and that's probably why she was so scared, why she was so unsure, because it was real. And she was so scared of being hurt again. But the time had come to take a risk. It was time to trust her instincts, time to trust Spencer... She just hoped it wasn't too late for that...
