Oh my gosh! I can't believe I forgot to update this. Someone shoot me. I mean, not with a gun or anything...maybe like, a pillow ray. That'd be nice. But anyways, here's the next installment!

Chapter Seventeen

"A-Ashley?" Spencer raised her head and looked into the soulful brown eyes that she'd ached to see again. "Ashley?" she repeated, her voice cracking through the whisper.

The brunette's eyes began to tear up as she struggled to speak. "What…h-happened?" Her brow furrowed as she struggled to see through the tears.

Dodger rushed through the door, "Hey Spence, I heard ya calling. Is everything al…" her voice trailed off as she spotted the stirring brunette. "Holy crap," she whispered. "I'll get the Doc." Dodger turned and ran down the hall, leaving the two alone.

"God Ashley. There's so much I want to say. I love you so much. I'm so sorry that this happened to you. It's all my fault," she paused and brushed Ashley's hair with her fingers. "I've missed you so much."

Ashley swallowed, scrunching up her nose as this action caused her throat to burn. "Ho-How long?"

Spencer's lip trembled. She'd dreaded the moment she would have this conversation with the brunette. She looked into Ashley's pleading eyes and her heart broke. "Six weeks."

Ashley scrunched up her forehead. Six weeks. The words echoed in Ashley's head. She'd been unconscious for six weeks. She tried to do the math in her head. There are about four weeks in a month. So it's been a month and two weeks. A month and a half. I've been unconscious for a month and a half, she thought. Tears began to form in the corner of her eyes, partially due to the pain, partially due to this unsettling news.

"Shh, shh baby, don't cry," Spencer cooed lovingly, gently rubbing her fingers over Ashley's forehead.

Baby? Ashley thought. "Spence…I…" she tried to speak, but the words couldn't come.

"Ashley," Dr. Black said from the doorway, "It's good to see you finally awake."

"Where's my mom," Spencer asked, waiting to be torn away from Ashley.

"She's…away," Dr. Black replied. "I'll be looking after Ashley for the time being." He walked over to the young brunette and aimed his flashlight into her eyes. "So dear, how are you feeling?"

"Tired," Ashley croaked out. "I need…I need to be alone right now."

The doctor nodded his head, "That's fine for now Ashley, but we'll have nurses coming in and out checking on you. We don't want to backtracking on the progress you've made." He turned to leave, "You know Ashley, it takes someone of incredible strength to survive what you have. Whatever is driving you, make sure that you don't lose it."

After the doctor left, Ashley turned her gaze towards Spencer. "I can leave you alone too," Spencer started, "I know you must be so tired."

Ashley shook her head. "I've slept enough. I just…you called me baby. I did hear that, right? I'm not hallucinating?"

Spencer smiled and rubbed her fingers along Ashley's forehead, feeling her heart skip a beat when the brunette leaned into her touch. "No, you weren't dreaming Ash. You aren't imaging things." Her face turned serious. "I'm so sorry for the things that I said to you. You aren't the reason my family is falling apart. In fact, you are the only thing that's keeping me alive right now."

Ashley smiled, "I think the feeling is mutual." Ashley suddenly became very serious, "So, what's wrong with me?"

Spencer's smile faltered. She had been dreading this moment since Ashley had been admitted to the hospital. "Ash," she started.

Noticing the change in Spencer's mood, Ashley squeezed her hand reassuringly. "It's ok. As long as you are here, it'll be ok."

Spencer inhaled sharply, "Well, you…when the car hit you your leg broke. They say that it should be a relatively easy fix." She smiled, trying to lighten the mood.

"So what's the bad news?"

"Well, you hit your head on the ground…pretty hard Ash. You'll have some scarring on your face…from the cement. But the real problem is…they don't know the full damage of what happened inside your head." She stopped and tried thinking of the exact words to use. "A serious concussion is putting it mildly."

Ashley's eyes fell, "It's ok Spencer. I can heal. As long as you don't leave me. As long as you are here with me, I can do anything."

"I'm not going anywhere," Spencer replied, leaning forward and placing a gentle kiss on Ashley's un-bandaged face.

"Aw, now that's what I like to see," Dodger said from the doorway. The girls turned and saw the older girl leaning against the doorframe. "I love happy endings," she said mockingly.

Spencer giggled, "Ash, this is Dodger. She's been helping take care of you. And helping keep my mom away."

"Really? That's a full-time job. Thank you," Ashley replied.

"Eh, it was nothing. Like I said, I love happy endings." She walked closer to the bed, "It's nice to finally meet you."

"Spencer?" another voice said.

Spencer felt her blood run cold at the sound of the voice. Ashley's gaze fell on the door and her smile widened. "Hey Mr. C."

"Don't talk to him Ash," Spencer stated.

Dodger moved toward the door, "Yeah, this really isn't the best time, dude. I'd come back in another, oh let's go with, couple years."

"Please, I just want to talk to my daughter," he turned his gaze towards Spencer and Ashley. "Please Spencer, I'm sorry."

"What's going on?" Ashley asked. "Spencer?"

"He's the one who hit you. He was drunk and he freaking drove," Spencer yelled, aiming a fiery stare at Arthur.

"Spencer, I can't begin to apologize for everything that I've done. But please, I never meant for this to…"

"Get out," Spencer growled, her strong composure threatening to break if he took another step. "You have no idea what you've done. You took the most important person in my life and you hit her with a car, Dad. You broke my heart, and until the day I die I will never forgive you."

Arthur took a step back, unshed tears in his eyes. "I'm sorry, Spencer. Ashley…I…"

"Maybe you should go Mr. C," Ashley said softly, allowing the new knowledge to settle.

"Yeah, we'll see ya around," Dodger said, ushering Arthur out the door.

Arthur turned and headed down the hall, away from his daughter. How had things gone so wrong, he wondered.