Disclaimer: Me no own.

Author's Note: Alright new update and as far as Spashley's weird dark conversations, Ashley is dying, I think she is allowed. I am sorry that that was confusing and I hope that helped! I hope that you all enjoy the new post.

Chapter 3

Spencer sighed in resignation and with a very heavy heart, closed her eyes, activating the normal human motion of blinking. She shook her head in shame as the brunette across from her shouted in triumph; shooting her fist high in the air. The blonde's embarrassment and humiliation only worsened as the girl began to jump up and down on the bed singing "I am the champion" in a very loud voice.

"Yeah, yeah…we get it…"

"No," Ashley shook her head vehemently the bandana she was wearing looked in danger of slipping off her brown locks, "no I don't think you do. You see you lost and," she pointed to herself with a chuckle, "I won!"

"Okay, so you can hold your eyes open for a longer time than," Spencer grumbled in slight annoyance, "that is nothing to be proud of. In fact it is kind of freaky, you are like a cat you know that."

"Aw please," the brunette snorted, "you are just jealous because 'I am the champion!"

"Shut up," the blonde growled and in a swift motion tackled the brunette backwards onto the white hospital bed. With the speed of someone very practiced she crouched over the girl and began to tickle her; causing Ashley to begin laughing hysterically and scream at Spencer to stop the torture.

Eventually the blonde did stop, but only because she herself could not hold her cackles in any longer and she burst out laughing. The brunette sat up with a huff and began to futz with her hair which was now out of its restraint because the bandana had been thrown during the tickle session.

While she was fixing the part in her amber locks Spencer noticed that her hair was thinner than usual and reached out to feel it. Ashley immediately jerked away and covered her head with her hands; her brown eyes dropped swiftly to the white comforter. Spencer's eyebrows raised in surprise, Ashley never backed away from her.

"What's wrong Ash?" she asked timidly.

"I just…I don't want you to touch it…I didn't even want you to see it." She stuttered, not raising her eyes.

"Bud, what are you talking about?"

"I don't want you to think I'm ugly. I mean I couldn't compare with you before Barbie what the hell am I gonna do now?"

Spencer who was still confused just stared at the brunette in her curled up position at her feet, "Ugly? Why would I ever think you are ugly?"

"There were, like, forty this morning…"

"Ashley, you need to start explaining because I have no idea what you are talking about." Spencer shook her head to emphasize how confused she was.

"In my hairbrush Spence…forty…and the doctors say it won't be long before it is all gone. I won't be able to take the looks Spencer, the stares, especially from you." Ashley motioned for something behind Spencer and the blonde handed her a pillow. Covering her brown hair with the pillow Ashley ran over to pick up the bandana. As she was retrieving the stylish hair item something clicked in Spencer's head.

"Are you serious?" Spencer asked disbelievingly.

"Yeah that is what the doc—"

Spencer held up and hand to silence the brunette, "Not that, I mean do you seriously think that I would think any less of you?"

Ashley was silent and so Spencer continued as the brunette fastened the rainbow bandana back on.

"Ashley hair, or no hair, you will always be so pretty and those other losers, the ones you say stare, well they are just…well they're losers!" she tapped a finger against her chin, "and stupid if they don't see you as the prettiest thing on the planet."

The brunette returned to her place on the bed, a little blush on her face she finally met Spencer's blue eyes, "You can't think –I'm not…"

"Shut up Davies," Spencer said with a chuckle, "and try to admit that I am right for once, please."

There was a small period of silence where they just stared at each other before Ashley's eyes began to fill with tears and the blonde whispered a small 'Oh Ash' and pulled her in close. Spencer hugged Ashley tightly and thought to herself that even after she left the hospital she would still come back to hold Ashley because even though the brunette probably thought she was the one being comforted; she could have no idea how safe Spencer felt in her embrace.

Piercing blue eyes gazed at the hugging pair through the small window in the hospital door. Instead of feeling overwhelmed with grief for the poor brunette, like most people would, the owner of the eyes just felt pure hostile fury.

Spencer tapped her foot anxiously against the hospital room floor, and was on the verge of pacing. Her Aunt waited patiently in the chair beside the girl's bed and stared, concerned, at her niece.

"Honey maybe we sho—"

"She will be here," Spencer cut off her Aunt's sentence, and the blonde woman gasped in offense at being cut off. Honestly, Spencer, could care less at the moment, how rude she was being towards her mother's sister.

Today was supposed to be the happy day when she would be released and returned to the cozy home of her Auntie Joan. The key word in that sentence was 'happy' and that was the complete opposite of what the young Carlin was thinking. Spencer couldn't help but feel distressed that she had to go and leave her brunette friend but, worse, was her worry that said friend was not going to be here to see her off.

"Maybe Amy has some tests that she needs to take for her health…"

"Her name isn't Amy, it is Ashley and her tests were yesterday so that can't be where she is," the blonde interrupted again.

"I am just trying to help you know," Joan said reproachfully.

"Well stop helping okay! All you have done so far is 'try' to help. Do you think that it is going to make up for your bad judgment in character? How could you not see that -that…thing," Spencer spit out, she was crossing a huge line but there was no way she was going to stop now; it felt to good, "was a pervert who liked to rape and then almost beat little girls to death! I mean, there had to be some signs right? Was the fact that he was always trying to get me alone not a big enough clue for your small sized brain?!" Her rant finally over, Spencer stopped yelling. She was panting slightly but getting all of that off her chest felt absolutely incredible and she had never breathed better.

Her aunt sat in the straight back chair her mouth hanging wide open, "I didn't-didn't know that you felt that way…"

"No you wouldn't…"

The blonde sighed and walked out of her hospital room, not caring if Joan was following her or not. She stomped her way to the lobby and up to the front desk, where a bubble gum chewing lady with enormous hair was waiting for her.

"I need your help," Spencer stated to her, trying not to stare at the long nails she was using to clutch her pen.

She snapped her gum loudly, "Yeah? What can I do for you?"

"Can you tell me," Spencer asked politely, her old shy self coming back from its hiding place, "Where Ashley Davies is? She's the girl with cancer in room 212."

The woman leaned back in her chair and rolled over to the computer. She made quick work of bringing up a long list of people. "Um…no a Miss Davies was just transferred from here."

Spencer's breathing stopped, caught in her throat, but she managed to get out, "W-Why?"

"Something about, an annoying neighbor in room 211…"

Now the blonde's breathing was not the only thing that had stopped but her heart as well. That was her room number. She didn't bother to thank the receptionist and turned around, her eyes wide. Soon she found tears rolling down her cheeks in waves. A hand gripped her shoulder sternly and the blonde turned around to face her Aunt.

"Come on Spencer. It is time to go home."

"But I can't—"

Her Aunt's normally warm and cheery voice changed as she hissed, "I don't want to hear anything more from you. I said it is time to go home," she straightened up and smiled, but Spencer knew better than to believe that welcoming smile. She knew it was just an act to please the people around her.

"Now, honey, it is time to get you home. Don't you miss your own, comfortable pink bed and teddy bear?"

No, Spencer said to herself, what I miss is Ashley...