Glen, Paula, and Arthur sat together in their living room; quietly. Glen's eyes were red and puffy. He looked like he had spent the night in a cave. It looked like he had not shaved in about a week, his King High Cobra Varsity Basketball t-shirt had holes in it, and his sweat pants were dirty. Paula was still in her scrubs and Arthur was dressed casually, as usual.

The Carlin family had no idea what to say to each other. Even Glen, the "comic relief guy", was out of jokes.

Arthur looked up at Paula, "How's Spencer doing?"

"She's still out of it." replied Paula looking down at the ground.

"Should-d we go visit-t her-r?" Glen asked stuttering. He had not talked in a while which caused his words to get mushed up and his voice to become a bit deeper.

"What's there to see?" said Paula, still looking at the ground.

"Maybe she's awake."

"She's obviously not. The doctor's would have called me in."

"Whatever, Mom! I'm trying to think of ideas here!" shouted an angry, frustrated Glen.

Arthur looked at Glen. "Glen, have you talked to Ashley at all?"

"No..why would I talk to that hom-"

"--it was just a question," interrupted Arthur. "Besides, Ashley is Spencer's girlfriend. She's probably hurting so badly right now."

"If she was, why hasn't she been at the hospital. The last time she was there was when the shooting first occured. Spencer's been in a coma for two days and Clay just--"

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" shouted Paula. "Stop it, Glen."

Arthur looked at his wife like an idea had just struck him. "Paula?" he asked.

"What is it?" Paula said staring back at the ground again.

"How are we going to tell Clay's mother?"

Paula looked up and stared back at Arthur.

---------------------------------------

It was now the first evening of summer. Spencer, still fast asleep, Clay was pronounced dead earlier that day, Chelsea's parents didn't care about the miscarriage, and Ashley was finding comfort in someone she never thought she would...

They had went out for ice cream and came back. Ashley had ordered a chocolate ice cream cone, and for Aiden a Rocky Mountain cone.

Ashley sat down on the hammack on her front porch. She motioned for Aiden to sit by her.

"Hey what's that over there?" asked Aiden pointing to the vast night sky above of them.

"What?" Ashley asked as she looked up.

Just then Aiden took a lick of her ice cream cone.

"HEY!" she shouted.

Ashley punched Aiden's arm. They both laughed and looked into each others eyes. Ashley quickly turned away.

"Thanks." she said.

"For what?"

"For taking care of me, during all of this."

"Ash, it's no problem. You know I'm always here for you."

"I know. You're great like that."

"Well you know me, I'm beast."

"Oh shutup, ego freak!" Ashley said punching Aiden's arm again. But before she could, Aiden grabbed her fist and then held her hand. They looked into each other's eyes.

"You know Ashley," he said still looking into her eyes. "You have the most beautiful dark eyes..in the world."

"Thanks." she said softly.

"I'm crazy about you, Ash." he said.

"Aiden I--"

"Please..don't say anything..don't ruin this moment." Aiden brushed her bangs back with his free hand. His other hand holding his ice cream.

Ashley shut her eyes. "Fine."

Aiden moved in closer. And then he did it. The anticpated kiss. The kiss he had been waiting for since last year. And the best thing about it was, Ashley kissed him back.