The last chapter was a little bouncy and ick. So I decided to put this one up too. I like it a bit more. Still a bit lacking in Palex. Sorry.

The next few days were surreal to say the least. Spencer worked during the day most days, leaving Ashley in the apartment, most of the time asleep. Ash did her own thing during the day, though Spencer didn't know what. They spent the evenings quietly in the apartment. Spencer helped Ashley make dinner, they watched a Lifetime movie and snuggled on the couch before going to bed. Depending on the tone of the movie, sometimes they had sex, other times they didn't. Thats how it was for five short days.

When Paige and Alex got back from their reunion, things went back to normal. Spencer and Ashley spent a lot less time together, but talked on the phone frequently. They hadn't had sex since Paige and Alex came back.

One night, a few hours before Alex was due at work, Spencer got a call from Ashley.

"Hey Spence,"

"Hi Ash," Spencer said quietly

"Why are you whispering?" Ashley asked.

"Alex is sleeping in the bedroom," Spencer explained, "Whats up?"

"They're sending me on tour," Ashley explained.

"They?"

"I'm going on my CD release tour. I wrapped my second CD right before I saw you again."

"Cool," Spencer replied.

"Spencer," Ashley began nervously, "I'm gonna be gone for two months. Will you come to a show?"

Spencer thought about the question Ashley had just asked. There were so many implications that she could read into it, but she didn't know if she should be, "Yeah," she said finally, "I have some vacation coming up. Maybe I'll come to more than one," Spencer was flirting, she hadn't meant to, but she was flirting.

Ashley smiled.

"When do you leave?"Spencer didn't want Ashley to be far away.

"In a week."

"We'll have to do something before then."

"Yeah. Totally."

"When are you free?"

"I'm pretty wide open. They're letting me get all packed up. I just have to spend a bit of time with Paige before I leave."

"Yeah, of course. I'm off Thursday. Do you want to go to a movie or something?"

"Sure."

Ashley picked Spencer up at noon Thursday. Alex was still asleep and Paige was at work, not that it would have mattered if Paige or Alex knew that Spencer and Ashley were going to lunch and then seeing a movie.

They started at the movies, seeing a 12:30 horror movie that Ashley really wanted to see. Spencer had seen a few previews, and it looked okay, but Spencer wasn't really into horror movies, but she always used see them when Ashley asked her to.

It started out mildly, not scary at all. Throughout the movie, most of the scare value was to shock the viewer with something coming around the corner, and the music changing. It scared Spencer, but not Ashley. The ending, actually was scary. Instinctively, Spencer grabbed Ashley's hand and pulled Ashley close to protect her.

"Oh my god," Spencer whispered intensely.

Spencer was still grasping Ashley's hand when the movie ended and the lights When she realized this, Spencer hastily removed her hand from Ashley's and blushed.

"So you want to go eat something?" Ashley asked as they walked towards Ashley's car.

Spencer thought about it for a moment, "Sure. What do you feel like?"

"How about Japanese?"