Ashley shuffled back to her room, staring at her feet the entire way there. She couldn't help but wonder if she was making the smartest decision by staying at Memories. She knew her recovery was her number one priority, but having Spencer on the brain all day long was making her question her current commitment to treatment.

Pushing through the door to her room, Ashley flopped down in her favorite chair and stared out the window.

Sighing loudly, she reached over and picked up her favorite guitar. It was the one thing she made sure she brought with her to Memories, and it was the one consistent in her life.

It's always been me and you, hasn't it? Through good times and bad, you are always there waiting for me to lean on you. Thank God for music, and thank God my dad thought enough of me to leave you in my care when he passed.

"I wish the ol' bastard was still here," Ashley mumbled to herself.

She slowly started strumming her prized possession and quickly found herself lost in the melodies of sound.

Before she realized it, she was strumming the notes of an old song she grew up listening to her dad cover; a song that always brought her peace.

Her voice quietly filled the room.

"Just yesterday morning they let me know you were gone
Susanne the plans they made put an end to you.
I walked out this morning, and I wrote down this song…
I just can't remember who to send it to.

I've seen fire and I've seen rain.
I've seen sunny days that I thought would never end.

I've seen lonely times when I could not find a friend,

But I always thought that I'd see you again."

Ashley grinned to herself as the words came out with so little effort.

"Won't you look down upon me, Jesus

You've got to help me make a stand.

You've just got to see me through another day.

My body's aching and my time is at hand.

And I won't make it any other way."

Getting lost in the meaning the lyrics held for her life, Ashley didn't hear the door to her room open.

Spencer stepped inside, closing the door quietly. She leaned back against the door with arms crossed over her chest as she took in the sight of the girl in front of her.

So beautiful, she thought.

"Oh, I've seen fire and I've seen rain.

I've seen sunny days that I thought would never end.

I've seen lonely times when I could not find a friend,

But I always thought that I'd see you again."

Ashley's voice started to trail as she sang that last line, letting her fingers slow their movement across the guitar strings.

"I wouldn't have pegged you for a James Taylor fan," Spencer grinned and said as she watched Ashley.

Taken by surprise, Ashley jumped a little, and spun around in her chair to face the doctor.

"There's a lot you don't know about me," Ashley replied, standing from her seat and placing her guitar where she once sat.

She moved across the room toward Spencer, never taking her eyes away from the floor.

"I know there's a lot I don't know, Ashley, but I'm hoping we can catch up on some of that," Spencer sighed, watching Ashley close the distance between them.

Ashley stood right in front of Spencer and raised her eyes to meet the sea of blue that continued to melt her heart.

She reached past Spencer, leaning into her slightly, to grasp the door handle.

Feeling Ashley so close, Spencer's heart began to beat out of her chest, and she allowed her eyes to close on their own accord, concentrating on her breathing.

"Maybe later, Spencer. Right now, I just want to grab a bite to eat," Ashley said, while pulling the door in towards them both.

Spencer slid to the side to allow Ashley to leave the room, but stood firmly in place.

Standing in the hall, Ashley realized she was alone, and turned around to urge Spencer to follow her.

Leaning in the door, she prompted, "Come on Spence, I really want to beat the crowd."

Looking up at the doctor, Ashley noticed the tears silently falling down her cheeks. Her heart dropped almost immediately.

Moving forward toward the broken blonde, Ashley stopped right in front of her, lifting Spencer's chin to meet her eyes.

"Spencer…why are you crying," Ashley asked.

Spencer shook her head, moving away from Ashley, instantly putting some distance between them.

"I know you are mad at me, and I know you want answers, and I know there's a lot I don't know but….well, it's just…," Spencer struggled with her words.

"It's just what?"

"That song," Spencer paused, looking Ashley in the eyes, "I remember your dad used to play it all the time. All the memories just came flooding back to me and for a minute…it just….just seemed," Spencer stopped as Ashley finished her sentence.

"…seemed like everything was okay," Ashley questioned.

Spencer nodded her head in affirmation.

"I know what you mean," Ashley responded. "I felt the same way."

Ashley turned and made her way over to sit down on her bed. Her legs were firmly on the ground, elbows on her knees, and head resting in her hands.

Spencer walked over and kneeled down in front of the brunette, hands resting on the sides of her legs.

"Can we get this back, Ash?"

Ashley shrugged slightly, before meeting the cloudy blue eyes boring a hole right through her.

"I don't know Spencer. I just…I don't know. I mean…I hope."

"I'm crossing so many lines right now, Ashley. I'm putting myself on the line, and my job on the line, and everything stable I have built for myself on the line. I lost you once, and nearly died missing you. I don't want to do that again. I…"

Ashley looked intently at Spencer, feeling her stomach flip-flop at the words Spencer was pleading with her to hear.

"Tell me Spencer."

"I love you. I always have."

Ashley chewed the inside of her lip as she tried to stop those 3 words from replaying over and over again in her head.

"Spencer…I..."

"You what, Ash?"

"I…" Ashley fumbled over her words as she quickly stood, pulling Spencer to a standing position with her. "I am really hungry."

Spencer took a step back, looking dumbfounded by Ashley's words.

Ashley's eyes were pleading with Spencer to pause their intense conversation.

A smile slowly crept across Spencer's face and she just started to nod.

"Oh thank God," Ashley exhaled, casting her head down.

Spencer took a step closer to Ashley and pulled her in close to her body. Just wanting to feel the girl near her, knowing they would finish their conversation later because Ashley couldn't concentrate on anything when she was hungry.

Ashley held tightly to Spencer's frame and leaned in close to her ear.

"And, I love you too, Spence," She breathed out, following her confession with the softest of kisses to Spencer's ear.

Feeling her body shiver from the feeling of Ashley's lips on her skin, Spencer allowed herself to relish in the moment, instead of pulling away.

With the shyest of smiles, she nodded into Ashley's shoulder before grabbing her hand and pulling her towards the door.

"Why is it, that every single time we start to talk about things, we're either going to eat, or coming back from eating," Spencer asked, while pulling Ashley out into the hallway.

"I'm a growing girl," Ashley said, "I need to eat a lot."

Spencer laughed and shook her head at the brunette's smartass comment.

As they walked past Spencer's office, she grabbed Ashley's hand and pulled her through the door to her office before Ashley even knew what was happening.

"Jeez Spencer, what's with the assault," Ashley asked.

Spencer just turned Ashley around into her office where she could see a table was set up with 2 chairs.

There were sandwiches, fruits, dips, and bottles of Dr. Pepper on the table set up by the window.

Ashley turned to look at Spencer, her brows furrowed in confusion by what she was seeing.

"I told you I needed to make a few phone calls, and I did. I just had some food brought up here and thought we would eat in my office. You know, so we could talk in privacy while we feed you."

Ashley couldn't help but smile at the gesture Spencer was making. She knew Spencer was sorry for everything that had happened in the past, and this was such a compliment to an apology.

Stepping closer to Spencer, Ashley grabbed both of the blonde's hands pulling her towards her.

Standing mere inches from one another, Ashley reached up and placed her hands on Spencer's cheeks, admiring just how beautiful she really was, and allowing her thumbs to run back and forth across the blonde's flawless skin.

Feeling her walls slowly starting to recede, Ashley leaned in close to Spencer, her eyes bouncing back and forth from blue eyes to beautiful lips.

"So, can I kiss you now, or do I need to wait until after dinner," Ashley asked.

Spencer smiled and closed the distance between them, brushing Ashley's lips with hers.

"Now is good," Spencer replied against Ashley's lips.

Ashley pressed her lips against the warmth of Spencer's and let her hands slide down and take up residence on the sides of the blonde's neck.

She took Spencer's lower lip between her teeth, pulling back slightly before running her tongue across the area she bit.

The feeling of Ashley's warm tongue on her bottom lip made Spencer's knees go weak.

Moaning into the kiss, Spencer reluctantly pulled away from Ashley.

Ashley looked at her with concern, "Are you okay? I'm sorry, Spencer, I-I didn't mean to…to push this, or…"

"No, no, no, Ash, I am totally fine. I just, need to step back a little, you know?"

Ashley nodded in understanding.

"Not from you, just from, this," Spencer waved her hand between them. "We have so much to talk about, and if I allow myself to keep kissing you, we'll get no dinner, and no conversation."

Ashley laughed, feeling relieved that Spencer didn't regret letting her kiss her.

"I understand, completely," Ash stated. "Let's eat, huh? We can figure all of…," she mimicked Spencer's waving between them, "...this…out later."

Spencer smiled and nodded, placing a chaste kiss on Ashley's lips before pulling her toward the table.

song is "Fire and Rain," by James Taylor