A/N. Hey guys, here is my next chapter. I would just like to thank EVERYONE who reviews this story. I can't say it enough just how freaking much I love you guys. You are seriously my driving motivation for this story.

Whitnie: Yes, I love mystery and suspense. I wish I could write more mysterious mysteries, but hey, school interfere's with my writing sometimes...stoopid edumakation...

Bat7130: Haha, awesome review. A little spoiler here: We will find out who "HE" is in the next chapter. Muhaha.

Darkredeyes, Loug2, Evangelion Nerdling, and WolfkidX: I am glad you guys are enjoying the story. Hopefully this next chapter doesn't disappoint!

Chapter Seven

"Ashley?" Spencer whispered, her voice laced with confusion, shock, and slight anger.

Ashley stood unmoving at the doorway. Her eyes were filled with unshed tears. She knew that Spencer was going to be there. She had spent hours practicing speeches in the mirror on what she would say to the blonde. Yet here she stood, silent. Currently, Ashley couldn't even begin to comprehend the English language. She couldn't string words together to form a sentence. She couldn't think of a single thing to say to Spencer.

Haley's attempt-at-a-chipper voice broke through the silence, "Who wants dinner?"

"I could go for a beer," Aiden whispered in her ear.

"Ashley," Spencer repeated, "What are you…?" All Spencer could do was stare at the brunette. She looked different, not so much in her appearance, but in her eyes. She looked more mature, weathered by time and life. She was still beautiful, not even Spencer could deny it. But something…

"How…how are you?" Ashley asked softly, her raspy voice sending a shiver through Spencer's heart.

"I'm…" Spencer began before pausing. She didn't want to exchange pleasantries with Ashley. She didn't want to speak with her at all. Spencer crossed her arms, "What are you doing here?" anger dripping from her words.

"I…I was invited," Ashley responded quietly. It seemed unnatural for Ashley to speak so softly. Spencer was taken aback by this unusual timid-ness that Ashley now exhibited. She lost her train of thought as she watched the brunette's gaze fall to the floor. The once outgoing, boisterous girl now appeared shy, like something inside her was broken. Like the part of Ashley that didn't care what people thought had somehow disappeared, or been taken away. Maybe it was maturity, maybe it was guilt, but Spencer could tell that something wasn't the same about the woman she once loved. "Look, Spencer, I'm sorry. I know that my words probably don't mean much…"

"No, you're right Ashley, they don't. They don't mean a thing to me. You don't mean a thing to me," Spencer snapped.

"Spencer, don't talk to her like that," Aiden said softly, "You don't know the whole story."

"Aiden, stay out of it," Ashley said shortly.

Spencer turned her head to look at Aiden. Something had happened, she could tell. Ashley had done something. "Look, let me get my jacket and I'll be out of here in a minute. Then you guys can go ahead and have a pleasant dinner."

"No, Spencer. Stay, we can sit down and work everything out and…" Haley started.

"This isn't your problem to fix, Haley. This can't be fixed," Spencer interrupted, "Ashley knows how I feel. There is no changing that." She turned and walked over to the closet to grab her jacket, but she felt a gentle touch on her shoulder. She didn't need to turn to know who it was. Ashley's fingertips gently squeezed her shoulder, turning her around.

"No Spencer, I should leave," Ashley whispered, her breath tickling Spencer's ear. The blonde closed her eyes as Ashley's sweet scent surrounded her. "I'm sorry."

Spencer could hear Ashley's footsteps heading towards the door and her heart quickened. A panic that she might never see Ashley again set, and before she knew what she was doing, she called out her name. "Ashley." The brunette turned, tears glistening in her downcast eyes. She wiped them away with her sleeve. The two stared at each other, the world falling away around them. Old emotions, memories, and pains flooded back to the girls. Spencer's jaw tightened as she spoke. "Why? Why did you do it?"

Shock crossed the brunette's face. She had expected Spencer to yell. She had expected there to be tears. But she never expected Spencer to ask her why. Her chest tightened as she found air difficult to come by. "I…I can't give you a reason Spencer. I don't know why I did it."

"That's it? That's all I get? After everything that you put me through. That's the only thing that you have to say to me?" Spencer yelled, moving quickly toward the older woman. Ashley backed up suddenly, turning towards the door. "No, you do not get to walk away from me, Ashley," Spencer shouted, pushing past Ashley and slamming her fist against the door. She stared hard at Ashley, her eyes piercing through Ashley's protective armor. The tears began to fall as Ashley and Spencer's eyes met.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I made a stupid mistake, one that caused me the best thing that I ever had. I loved you Spencer, I loved you so much. And it kills me to know that I caused you even an ounce of pain." She placed her hand on Spencer's cheek, running her fingertips along her jaw line. The blonde instinctively closed her eyes at the gesture. "I'm sorry." Ashley pushed past Spencer and left the apartment. Spencer stood there, breathing heavily. How could Ashley still make her feel this way? How, after everything that brunette had done to her, could Ashley still make Spencer's emotions bubble to the surface? How could Ashley still make Spencer feel so loved?

"So," Aiden joked, "I guess that means that dinner is cancelled."

Ashley burst through the double doors that led out of Aiden's apartment complex. Rain fell lightly from the sky, washing away Ashley's tears. She leaned her head against the brick wall. Ashley had made so many mistakes in her life, it was something that she was good at. But she had changed. She had learned from her mistakes over the years, why couldn't Spencer see that. "God, how can you expect her to Davies, you make it so easy to hate you," Ashley said aloud to herself. She walked forward and sat on the curb, allowing the rain to spill around her. Her hair grew heavy and clung to her face as she sat, unmoving, in the rain. She gazed up at the sky, inhaling deeply as she urged the rain to wash away her mistakes; her pain. "I'm sorry," she whispered, wiping away the rain, and her tears, from her eyes. "I'm sorry!" she yelled louder, sobs wracking her body. She leaned back, lying against the cool cement, ignoring the dirt and the water that now covered her clothing. "Please, I'm so sorry." She buried her head in her hands and listened to the soothing rain splatter against the street.

"Ashley?" a soft voice rang out over the rain. Ashley sat up, startled, and turned to face the newcomer. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," Spencer apologized. She looked at the brunette, and even through the downpour Spencer could see the redness in Ashley's eyes. Ashley looked so small and alone sitting, drenched, on the curb. Spencer's face softened as she spoke, "What are you doing out here?"

Ashley stood and faced the blonde, sighing as she searched for the right words. "I was…I…I just needed to think." She watched warily as Spencer moved from underneath the building's awning and closed the gap between the two.

"Ashley, it's freezing out here. Go home," Spencer said flatly, moving past the wet woman towards her car. She began to unlock her door, before turning back to the brunette. "Can I ask you something?" Spencer had calmed down a great deal since the fight in the apartment, but she still had questions for the older woman. Ashley nodded her head in response to Spencer's question, too surprised at the blonde's gentle façade to respond verbally. "Why did you come here tonight?" Ashley remained silent, and Spencer continued her line of questioning. "I mean, you knew that I was going to be here, right? And I know that you wouldn't think that we are ok. So why? Why would you even bother showing up?" Spencer crossed her arms across her chest and glared, in silence, at Ashley.

"Because I miss you, Spencer," Ashley started, "And I know that it's my fault, everything that's happened, but I missed seeing you. I missed your face. I missed your smile. I miss the way you make me feel. And I know that I can't change what's happened. I know I can't un-break your heart and take away all your pain. Trust me, if I could I would take back all of the pain that I caused you. I would take back every single tear that I made you shed. But I came here tonight to be selfish. I came here to feel something that I haven't felt in years. Just being around you Spence, just being near you is enough to make me feel alive. And I'm sorry that seeing me makes you remember all the bad times, but seeing you brings back the good for me," she paused, struggling through falling tears, "I just…I really missed you." She turned, embarrassed and started walking away. She felt a soft touch on her shoulder, a hand, which trailed down her arm and clasped her hand. She turned and fell into glistening blue eyes; kind blue eyes that Ashley fell in love with.

"Come on, Ashley. I'll drop you by your place to get some dry clothes," Spencer said, pulling Ashley gently towards her car, "Then we can go to my place and talk some more." She rubbed her hands up and down Ashley's arms, making the brunette tingle with excitement. "You'll catch a cold, and I can't have that on my conscience." Spencer opened the door for Ashley to get in, and the two drove to Ashley's apartment. An unusual, and unexpected, comfortable silence fell over the car and Ashley stared in amazement at the understanding blonde seated next to her. Spencer will never cease to amaze her. The brunette grinned, God I love this girl.