Thank you for the reviews and I hope you enjoy this update, too. Also, updates may be a little infrequent, as I have a lot going on in the next two weeks or so.
Disclaimer: Don't own it.
The Great Love
Part One (Continued)
III.
I need to be brave to save your day
When Ashley awoke, she became aware of three things at once. One, there was a slight weight hanging over her, a blanket. Two, the sun was shining right in her eyes. And three, something was cooking. She sat up swiftly, covering falling away, her hand groping for her gun. She looked around, a wild, nervous look in her eyes.
Then, she saw her.
She's squatting by the fire, poking something in a pan with a stick. Her hair is tangled and her clothes disheveled from a night's sleep. Her wounds have appeared to heal marvelously, looking much better than they had. She looks beautiful, holy.
Ashley relaxes her grip on her firearm and looks over to the still sleeping figure of Madison, mouth wide and drool at the corner of her mouth. The curly-haired girl grins, falls back and settles one arm behind her head, the other over her stomach. She drifts back into a light doze.
--
"Hmm, something smells good." Ashley stumbled into the kitchen groggily, eyes half closed, following her nose to the kitchen where Jess was cooking up a delicious-smelling breakfast.
"I'm surprised you're up so early." The other girl didn't turn as she said this, body swaying to the beat coming from the radio by the side of the stove. Ashley didn't reply, and she jumped a little when strong hands settled over her hips, a sleep-warmed body pressing close to her. One of those hands lifted, drawing black, wavy locks away from her ear. Ashley's head settled in the crook of her neck and placed a feather-light kiss there. Jess giggled and grinned as confident hands began to wander, settling over her tan, bare stomach. "I can't cook with you doing that, Ash'."
The girl behind her chuckled and rasped, "Sorry," before removing her hands and stepping back. "Where's Kyla?" Ashley hopped up on the counter and looked around, puzzled by the absence of her kid sister.
"Outside, she'll be back for breakfast."
As soon as she said this, a jubilant girl with dark hair and shining blue eyes burst through the back door, running into the kitchen. "Ash'!"
Ashley hopped down from her perch speedily and met the girl readily when she jumped into her arms, sweeping her into a bear hug. Ashley laughed and spun her seven year old sister, nine years younger than herself, in the air. Kyla squealed and giggled, feet swinging in the air. When her big sister set her back on her feet, she recounted all her morning's adventures excitedly. Ashley listened with rapt attention, nodding and answering her sister's questions at all the right times.
A man cleared his throat from the doorway of the kitchen and the three inhabitants of the kitchen looked up in surprise. He stood there, hair wild and unkempt, but clothes – a black suit – neatly pressed and fitted to his body. The man looked to each of the girls with sharp gray eyes, pausing noticeably at Jess' scantily clad form – she only wore a bikini top and an old pair of Ashley's shorts.
Ashley rose from her position crouching on the floor and stood straight, looking right into her father's eyes. The other girls fidgeted nervously in their positions.
The overwhelming silence was broken by a laugh, loud and abrupt, coming from the man. His face spread into a wide grin and he opened his arms wide. Kyla rushed over and was once again swept up into a tight embrace.
"So, how have my girls been," he asked of his youngest daughter. She reverted back into her wild chatter, telling her father all about the week they'd had while he'd been gone on Regime business. Ashley smiled and turned to Jess, flipping pancakes by the stove.
She slid close, pressing her body to Jess' back. "How's breakfast coming," she whispered in her ear, brushing her lips against it.
"Almost done, babe, just wait a few more minutes."
"But I'm hungry now." A slight whining note came into Ashley's voice and she rested her head on the other girls shoulder, pouting.
"Stop being impatient and set the table." Stern, with a hint of a grin.
"Yes ma'am." Ashley swatted Jess on the ass before stepping away and to the cupboard to get plates. As she set the table, Raife looked up, setting his little daughter down.
"I missed you, Ashley."
Ashley smiled a soft, sad smile. "I missed you too…dad."
--
Ashley woke with a start, once again. This time Madison was awake also, talking to Spencer as they ate with their fingers. She sat up slowly, throwing the blanket away. The groggy girl stood slowly, stretching to work out the kinks from sleeping on the hard ground. When she was finished, and her eyes were fully open, she saw Spencer looking at her, a glint in her eye. She stared back and smiled when the other girl looked away, blushing.
The just-awoken girl sat on a log next to Spencer heavily, rubbing her eyes tiredly. "So, Mads, what's on the agenda for today?"
"We have to head into the Underground before we leave, pick up some supplies." She hesitates a second. "We can…drop Spencer off there."
Ashley's sleepy smile drops slightly, but she nods without hesitation. "Yeah, sure." She turns to Spencer, "You can find somewhere to stay there, get on your way back…home." She smiles slightly, painfully at the word 'home'.
--
Later that day, all three girls head into the Underground. Spencer is stunned by the shear amount of people – most dirty and barely clothed – that populate the small space. An acrid smell floods her senses and she feels the slight urge to vomit.
It is situated in an abandoned part of the city, mostly in the neglected tunnels formerly used during war times. With the war over with (or mostly over, anyway), the soldiers abandoned their former posts and the exiles flooded the area, searching for a safe haven. Ashley and Madison had met in the Underground, during the early days of its existence. They were together ever since.
When Spencer is jostled by one too many passersby, almost losing the other girls, who navigate the crowds deftly, Ashley grasps her arm, pulling her along and shoving people out of the way unapologetically. The blonde stumbles along and tries not to brush up against anyone (a near impossibility, with the limited space).
They reach a wall covered with different booths of sellers, all yelling and gesturing with the various wares, mostly junk. Madison and Ashley head directly towards a booth in the far corner, the muscular girl still pulling Spencer along. A tall, bulky man stands behind a booth filled with various items. He smiles a crooked, yellow smile when he sees the girls.
"Hey, Larry."
"Why hello Ashley, Madison." Ashley grins, Madison too. Spencer's arm is still in Ashley's firm grip. "What can I get for you ladies?" Sleaze oozes from his mouth; Spencer thinks he isn't just talking about goods.
"We just need a few supplies, Lar." Madison pulls a list out of her jacket pocket and Larry leans forward to look at it.
"Hey, we'll be back later, k' Mads?" Ashley bounces a little, anxious to go.
"Sure," she replies absently.
Ashley begins walking, leading Spencer once again.
When they're far enough away, the blonde asks, "Who was that guy?" She sees his leer in her head.
"Larry? He's just a' old friend, guy me an' Mads met awhile ago."
"Friend?"
Ashley smiles, "He helps us out when we're a little low on cash." She rushes along the different passages, eyes searching for something as Spencer trips behind her.
Her eyes brighten as she spots a door, marked with a warped star etched into the wood. She enters, allowing Spencer to go first and glancing around the packed tunnel before following.
The room is small, dimly lit. A fire is roaring in the fireplace. A man, old and haggard, sits at a desk in the corner. The soft light shines off his balding head. He looks up at the click of the door closing. When he catches sight of Ashley, curly hair in disarray from traveling around the Underground, he smiles widely and stands. He takes long strides and engulfs the girl in his arms, laughing loudly. "Ashley, it's so good to see you! How've you been, my girl?"
She laughs, too. "I've been good, doing my thing. How are you, Jim?"
"Better, now you're here." Ashley looks down, a shy smile across her lips. He lets her go and leans back against his desk, arms crossed, relaxed. "Do you need something, Ashley?"
"Uh…yeah, actually. Ya see, my friend here," she points at Spencer, standing awkwardly in the center of the room, "she needs a place to stay until she can get on her feet."
Jim nods, "We've got a couple 'a places, we can find somewhere for a little while." Ashley doesn't feel as relieved as she thought she would, strangely.
"Awesome." She stands straighter, nodding curtly. "I should probably be going, gotta get to Mads before she gets angry."
Jim laughs knowingly, "Wouldn't want to get Madison angry."
She chuckles too, out of obligation. Then she turns to Spencer, an almost apologetic look on her face. "Well, I guess this is it."
"Yeah, thanks for your help."
"No problem."
They stand awkwardly for several moments, looking at each other before Ashley steps forward abruptly and pulls the other girl into a strong hug. "Take care of yourself, Spencer." The brunette felt the other girl nod against her cheek. She pulled away, and Ashley felt blue eyes falling away, too.
Ashley stepped swiftly to the door, wrenching it open and yelling a quick 'bye' before slipping into the crowd once again. Spencer turned to Jim as the door closed.
Ashley finds Madison near Larry's booth, checking out a dress. It is tattered and slightly dirty, with a noticeable rip under the arm. The color matches Madison's eyes. She looks at it longingly for a moment before replacing it on the rack.
"Hey Mads." Ashley grins as Madison jumps, turning with her eyes wide with shock.
"Oh Ash, hey!"
"That's a nice dress."
Madison glances back at it, then gives Ashley a sheepish look. "Uh, yeah, it's okay."
"You want it?"
The Latina shakes her head, giving the other girl an exasperated look. "We can't afford it." She walks away irritated and Ashley stands there for a few moments, a little confused, before trailing the other girl.
--
They've gotten all their supplies and they're about to leave when a scream splits the air. Ashley whirls around, searching in the direction that the sound originated from. She looks to Madison, a silent look of understanding passing between them – it sounded like Spencer.
Ashley burst into a run towards the scream, shoving people out of the way and shouting for them to move. The curly-haired girl swept through the crowd swiftly, using her considerable strength to push her way through. Another scream erupted from a passage of the main tunnel and Ashley rushed to it.
When she reached the mouth of the channel, she saw Spencer against a wall with a thin, raggedy man in front of her, blocking her escape. Ashley charged over and tackled him, lifting him bodily and sending them both to the floor. Her fists flew wildly, connecting with the man's body violently. He cried out and struggled to push her off him but she rode out his struggles with ease. The only thing that stopped her was Spencer hauling her away with arms around her waist.
Ashley flailed madly and the blonde let her go, allowing Ashley to stand on her own. The girl's breathe was harsh, chest heaving with the need for air. Her muddy gaze didn't leave the man lying on the ground, curling in on himself with a few whimpers.
At that moment – with Spencer standing to the side with a frightened look on her face and Ashley staring into space blankly, knuckles bloody – Madison arrived, breathing heavily from her run. She looked frantically to each girl, "Are you okay?" Neither answered her. "Ash!" The girl looked up, the slight glazed look in her eyes fading. "What happened?" She thanked God Ashley had forgotten her gun when she glanced to the bloody body.
"I…I don't know." They both look to Spencer, on the sidelines with an absent look of bewilderment on her face as she looks at the bearded man on the ground. He hasn't made a sound in a little while.
"Spencer?" Madison asks quietly. Her blue eyes connect with Madison's green and she looks lost.
"He…I-I was supposed to follow him." She swallowed, tearing her eyes from the other girl's and they fall back on the beaten man. "Jim told me to follow him."
Ashley reached out, but stopped short of touching Spencer, letting her arm drop. "He brought me here, he grabbed me, he…he said…things, he wouldn't let me go." She searched with teary blue eyes and stopped at Ashley's hard brown. "Why would he do that?"
"I-I…I don't….know." The girl stuttered out a respond under Spencer's piercing gaze.
Spencer gaze fell once again and she looked around slowly, looking lost. "I jus…" And she collapsed, legs giving way under the weight of the events. Ashley caught her and scooped her up in one fluid motion. She held the fragile girl in her arms carefully, almost reverently.
She met Madison's questioning gaze and said "Let's go" gruffly. She passed the other girl without a glance back and pushed through the crowd, angelic girl still in her arms. The remaining girl picked up their packages and followed, slowly.
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