Okay, I know I SUCK. Big time. I'm so sorry, you guys, life just keeps getting in the way!!! But I'm here with a new, fluffy chapter that I hope can maybe make up for my annoying absence!

FOF :))

Paulinne-V: The reason for the amount of descriptiveness in the last chapter was because it was from Spencer's point of view, and as much as she would have loved to watch Ashley rip Carmen to pieces, she was a little too preoccupied with her own pain. Big hugsss :))

tbplrbear1: Do not even worry about keeping the reviews short; on the contrary, I prefer when readers write long reviews. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside :)) and I love that you use your thesaurus to find words to describe each chapter. It's really cute ;)) and yeah, you alwaysss make me blush!

angelperry7: awww shucks. YOU are the cutest thing ever :))

s0nFan16: I love how considerate you are of my outside life, it's very sweet! Yeah, I change some things to my liking in accordance with the movie and book :)) hope you're enjoying it!

iloveTRIPLEbrownies: Yes, I'm making a sequel! *happy dance* hugs!!

esc15: hey, it's all good bud. I love red bull too :)) glad you're enjoying it!

yourkat: Okay I took out the period so it actually shows up. Yes, that chapter was dedicated to you! And thanks for letting me know. Hope you're loving the story :))

Those of you who professed your like/love for me such as riahpebbles and ilovespencer made me BLUSH FURIOUSLY. :)) you guys are too sweet!!

There is one more chapter after this, then it's all over! :((

I love you guys!!! Enjoy!!

***

I awoke groggy, disoriented, and completely unsure of where I was. I blinked a few times in order to collect my vision, and immediately took in my surroundings. I was in a stark white room that smelled vaguely of cleaning products. Rain pounded angrily against the windows outside, and the fluorescent lights above bothered my eyes. An annoying beeping noise kept sounding nearby, but I couldn't even turn my head to look at it.

I looked down, and saw numerous clear tubes twisted around my arms. I couldn't move one of my legs, and became acutely aware of another tube taped across my face, under my nose. It was bothering me, so I made to rip it off.

If I was dead, I didn't need to breathe.

Then, cool fingers caught my gauze-wrapped hands, squeezing gently as they were pulled away from my face. "Oh no, you don't."

"A-Ashley?" I craned my neck slightly to the left, and sure enough, there was my beautiful girlfriend, lying on the pillow next to me. Her exquisite features morphed into a glowing smile as she rubbed my hands soothingly. Then, I burst into tears.

I was alive.

"Oh, Ashley! I'm so sorry!" I sobbed, and made to bury myself in her chest, but the IVs were constricting me.

"Shhhh, it's alright, Spencer. It's all over now," she crooned as she reached up and caressed my cheek.

"Wh-what happened?" I asked, my voice thick as I tried to recall the events that landed me in a hospital.

My mind was rebelling; I really couldn't remember.

One of Ashley's icy hands intertwined with mine, and the other began to softly run through my hair. My sobs automatically died down. "I could have been much too late, Spence. I was almost too late."

"I'm so sorry," I whispered. "I thought she had my mom."

"It isn't your fault. She tricked us all." Ashley's velvety voice was tinged with venom.

All. Arthur and Paula.

"I need to call Arthur and Paula," I realized through the haze. I tried to sit up, but was forced back down again by Ashley's firm grip.

"Kyla already called them. Arthur is here; he's getting some coffee."

I breathed a sigh of relief, but my panic had not subsided completely. "Where's my mom?"

Ashley was silent as her fingers danced across my face. A fresh bout of tears began to well in my eyes, but I fought them back. What did I care if she wasn't here?"

Well, that's a lie.

"What did you tell my father?" My voice cracked as I said this, and I shut my eyes so Ashley wouldn't see them shine.

Piece by piece, I was giving myself away.

"You tripped, and fell down a flight of stairs," she told me seriously. I looked back at her in disbelief, and watched incredulously as a small smirk graced her gorgeous features. "It could happen. Your hand-eye coordination isn't exactly world class."

I chuckled, but winced, groaning in pain. My insides felt like they were being slowly bent in half, getting close to their breaking point, but not quite yet. Floating somewhere between snapping, and prolonged pain.

"How bad am I?"

"You have a broken leg, four fractured ribs, numerous cracks in your skull, bruises blanketing every inch of your skin, and of course, you lost a considerable amount of blood," she paused, and my heart ached as I saw her frown slightly. "You received a few transfusions, which was particularly uncomfortable for me. You smelled so…different."

I wanted to laugh, but controlled myself and settled for small smile. "That must have been a more relaxing change for you."

"No," Ashley muttered darkly, and tenderly rubbed my temple. "I like how you smell." I smiled sweetly at her, and nuzzled her hand.

Her touch was doing wonders for my frenzied mood.

"How did you do it?" I asked quietly, and she knew exactly what I was talking about. She began to rub small circles into the back of the gauze on my hand as she thought for a moment.

She looked wholeheartedly intriguing when she was pondering something.

"I'm honestly not sure. It was impossible to stop…nearly impossible, anyway, because I did. If it were anyone else, I probably wouldn't have been able to keep myself in control. I must love you."

My smile would have been a mile wide if not for the fact that my face muscles felt like they had been bludgeoned severely. "Do I taste as good as I smell to you?"

"Incredible," Ashley whispered, leaning forward and brushing her lips across my forehead. "Better than I'd ever dreamed."

"I'm sorry," I apologized.

Yes, I apologize that I taste good.

Ashley froze, then fell back against the pillow, sighing warily. "Of all the things to apologize for…"

"So I should be apologizing for something?" I asked timidly, wanting so badly to squeeze Ashley's frozen hand. My bruised skin was making that small task quite difficult. Ashley's golden eyes nearly bugged out of her sockets as she turned to me.

"For very nearly taking yourself away from me forever," she said in a tortured voice. "But I know your exact reason for doing it, however irrational it was. You should have waited for me, Spencer."

"No," I insisted, "because you wouldn't have let me go."

Ashley's furrowed her brows, looking defeated. "That's true."

Just then, my head began to pound and the obnoxious mechanical beeping nearby sped up. Ashley sat up anxiously as I shut my eyes. "Spencer, what's the matter?"

The memories flooded my mind full force. "What happened to Carmen?"

"Jake and Glen took care of her," she spoke in a low, harsh voice.

I could tell she was the one who had wanted to break Carmen.

"You stayed with me," I mumbled, trying to ignore the pain in my head. "Kyla and Raife…"

"They love you as well," Ashley breathed, her sweet breath washing over my face. I closed my eyes, and inhaled her delicious scent as she tenderly ran her fingers through my blonde hair. "Kyla understand what happened to her, now."

Ashley's expression had turned black with fury, and I reached up to stroke her flawless face, but was strained by the IV. I winced, moaning in pain, and Ashley's magical fingers immediately stilled.

"What is it?" she questioned me apprehensively, and searched my face, afraid that she might've somehow injured me.

As if that were even possible.

"I hate needles," I whined, looking away from the one piercing my arm, and focusing on the blurred ceiling tiles. I attempted to breathe evenly despite my ribs, but I wasn't having much luck.

"Afraid of needles, but no, not a sadistic, blood thirsty vampire," Ashley chuckled lightly, and leaned close to me. "Your only job now is to heal."

I could see every fleck and shade of gold in her butterscotch eyes, and my heart responded appropriately. The irritating beeping nuisance became erratic, and Ashley smirked. I could feel my face heat to the temperature of a volcano.

My heartbeat was betraying me.

"You're so beautiful, Spencer," Ashley whispered, leaning forward and pressing her marble lips against mine.

The beeping halted all together.

Ashley made to pull back, but I grabbed her head, ignoring the IVs, and pulled her back down toward me. "I was not finished kissing you," I informed her, and glued our lips together. I felt Ashley smile eagerly into the kiss, and cup the sides of my warm face. It was slow, and languid, and I reveled in every second of it. When I finally tasted her tongue, the monitor beeped at an obnoxiously rapid pace, causing Ashley to finally pull back. Her normally pale cheeks were slightly flushed.

Score one for Spencer.

"I heard your father speaking to your mother about you moving back to Ohio," Ashley said quietly, her expression troubled. It didn't sink in at first, but then I began to pant heavily. Helpless tears streamed down my cheeks, and I vaguely wondered why my moods were so shifty.

"Don't leave me," I begged her in a broken voice, hugging her to my chest. She framed my face with her frigid, strong hands, and smiled reassuringly.

"Shhh, Spencer, I'm not going anywhere. Now relax before the nurse kicks me out," she commanded, referring to the irregular tone of the monitor.

But my heart would not slow in the slightest. I was not going back to Ohio.

"I won't go back, Ashley. Do you swear you won't leave me?" I gasped, looking at her with wild, fearful eyes. Her angelic features were serious as she leaned in and pressed a chaste, calming kiss to my anguished lips.

Needless to say, I was now in a hypnotically lazy state.

"I swear. I'll be here as long as you want me, Spence.

"I'll always want you," I assured her, stroking her cheek gently. "You're the reason I'm alive."

"Barely," my godlike girlfriend scoffed. "Cover in gauze, and tied down with plastic…hardly able to move. That's not even the worst part."

I looked at her, puzzled, and waited patiently for her to continue.

"Seeing you bleeding on the floor…crumpled, helpless, broken…well, it was the single hardest thing I've ever had to experience. Hearing you scream in pain, hearing you calling out my name…and the fact that I couldn't stop. The fact that I nearly murdered you…those are the worst memories I will carry for the rest of eternity."

"Promise me again," I requested quietly, almost shaken by her revelation.

"Spencer Carlin," she leaned close, and pressed soft kisses to my lips, "I promise I will never leave you. You're my life, and the only thing it would hurt me to lose."

I smiled contently, and attempted to wrap my arms around her neck, but the IVs sent shocks of pain through my arms again. In less than a second, Ashley had pressed the button on the wall, and sent for a nurse.

"Here you go, honey," the nurse stepped forward, and filled an IV with a sedative. I could feel it coursing through my veins, and faintly registered Ashley moving carefully behind me, and cradling me against her chest. "You'll feel better in no time."

I felt my eyelids droop as Ashley snaked her strong arms through the IVs and around my body.

"Ash?" I slurred.

"Yes?" I could feel her cold chin resting atop my head.

"Stay."

"I promised, and I wouldn't dream of it," she answered, pressing her lips gingerly against my bruised temple.

"I love you," I whispered.

"And I love you," she replied, her lips ghosting around my ear as she nuzzled my hair.

Then, the night closed over me.

***

R&R PLEASE!!! :))

SPASHLEY FOREVER&&EVER.