Diclaimer: I don't own these, I have nothing to gain, ask me again and I'll tell you the same.

Author's note: Are you ready for some update? Whoa, sorry, I don't know where that came from. This time of night/morning makes me weird. Anyway, to let my readers know, I have another SoN fic (a darker one) that I recently started and I'm contemplating putting it up. So show some love. (really, there's a correlation there somewhere)

Chapter 9

The next day Ashley went to school with three things on her mind. She had no plan but she had a list of what she needed to accomplish. Needless to say, showing up to any of her classes wasn't one of them.

1) Destroy Madison
2) Confront Aiden
3) Apologize to Spencer

She hoped to accomplish them in that order, working out her anger before then throwing herself at Spencer's feet. And boy, what an anger it was. All night all Ashley could think about was the look of pain that crossed Spencer's face after Ashley's declaration of love. Ashley couldn't help but wonder if it would always be like that. One moment they're fine, and the next something or someone is coming between them yet again.

Gah, she's lucky if I'm ever able to say it again now. I mean how fucked up is that? I admit that I love her, meaning it for the first time ever, and because of Madison it ends up hurting her. With those, and related, thoughts running through her head by the time she found Madison in the school parking lot sitting in the bed of some pick-up truck all Ashley could see was red.

"Madison," Ashley had lost all of her well practiced cool. She was seething, and unless she was sorely mistaken, her left eye had begun to slightly twitch. She could take this cheer bitch coming after her, but to drag Spencer into their little feud was crossing that line.

Madison, unfortunately, was the epitome of cool at the moment. She gracefully climbed down from the truck and raised one well manicured eyebrow. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Answers first, beating later. Answers first, beating later, Ashley kept chanting in her head.

"We need to talk," she said taking in the usual crowd that surrounded the cheerleader, "Alone."

Madison shrugged. "Let's walk."

Once they were far enough away Madison spoke again, "What's your malfunction?"

Ashley turned away for a moment to try and regain her cool. "What's with this recent wicked witch impression? Why with the uber bitch?" she finally asked, her fists clenching at her sides.

"You seem angry Brokeback. Why are you so…oh, oh you didn't!" Madison began to giggle. "Oh, this is classic, I could set my watch to your impeccable timing. I'm guessing someone let three little words slip in a moment of joy."

"Why do you have this deep need to fuck up my life?"

Madison clucked her tongue, "Awww, honey, you seem to be the one fucking up your life. I didn't do anything but tell Spencer the truth. Scouts honor."

Ashley began to shake with anger. The only thing that kept her in check was the knowledge that Spencer would disapprove of her starting the fight. Self preservation would fly, but Madison refused to be riled and Ashley was quickly losing ground.

"Just stay clear of Spencer," she warned, "Because if I lose her, who knows, I'll have nothing to lose by turning to guys again. And you and I always did have the same taste in men." Ashley leaned in even closer, practically growling now, "I will systematically fuck every boyfriend you ever have. You will always be known as that chick who keeps losing her boyfriends to a lesbian who actually knows how to satisfy. You will be no one Madison, and you will have no one."

"You mean like you? Careful with your threats Ashley, your inner slut is showing. But fine, no more whispered truths behind your back. I told her everything Aiden told me anyway." They were still standing close, face to face, so Madison just turned her head to whisper in Ashley's ear, "But this is far from over." She kissed Ashley noisily on the cheek. "Toodles!"

Ashley barely had time to process everything. There's more that she told Spencer? Why is Aiden so stupid? Ewwww, now I have straight girl cooties!

She watch Madison begin to walk away. Oh fuck it.

"Madison?" she called out.

As the smug girl turned back she was greeted with a right hook to the jaw. Madison went down and Ashley felt pretty damn good about herself until she noticed some movement out of the corner of her eye. Turning she saw a crowd running towards them. Damn, her high pitched cry brought the rest of the dogs.

Her attention elsewhere she failed to notice Madison's returning shot until it was too late. Still reeling from the mar on her face Madison had aimed a bit high and caught Ashley right above her left eye. Which really won't help with the twitching I'm sure.

"You are so violent! Who actually finds that attractive? I guess your girlfriend likes it rough," she sneered taunting Ashley.

Ashley threw her hands up in the air in disgust. "Bitch much? Do you ever know when to just shut up?" she said before tackling the girl before her. Ashley knew her only chance of getting out of this was to keep swinging at anyone who got close and hope that they were all too concerned with their faces to do much. Of course, it was a desperate hope that everyone was as vain as Madison.

And keep swinging she did until finally strong arms grabbed her around the midsection. Ashley suddenly realized she hadn't heard anything for a few seconds, she had been so focused on her anger, on the look on Spencer's face that kept flashing through her mind. All of a sudden the noises rushed back to her and the cries could be heard.

As she was being pulled away she couldn't help but note those cries weren't coming from Madison. Although looking worse for wear the cheerleader merely watched Ashley with a promise in her dark eyes. And for a split second Ashley was afraid.

"Let go!" she began to struggle with her captor. She jerked her head back making contact with someone's jaw.

"Damn it, Ashley!"

"Fuck, I'm sorry Aiden," she apologized as the boy released her. Then she remembered number two on her list. "Aiden, you ass, what didn't you tell Madison about me?"

"What?"

"You told her about the baby, you told her about my issues with love, fuck Aiden, did you give her first hand instructions on how I liked it in bed?" Ashley was yelling at this point. Frustrated with the world. Only wanting to see Spencer, tired of everyone else.

Aiden as least had the decency to look ashamed. "It was right after we broke up you know? Before we became friends again, and I should have told you, I'm sorry. But I was hurt and I just…needed to get you out of my head."

Ashley turned away sad, dejected. She understood why he did it, but to Madison of all people, it still left her with a bitter taste in her mouth. It left her angry.

Oh fuck it.

She turned back around and kneed Aiden right in the groin as hard as she could. He fell to his knees with a loud groan.

"I'm sorry Aiden. I'm sure I'll feel really bad about that tomorrow but," she paused and reached up to touch the bruise beginning to form above her eye, "but right now, I really feel like I did the future a favor."

- - - - - - - - - - -

She ended up being suspended from school for three weeks, and she knew she was lucky. She was also lucky that her mom was back to not caring. The only bad part was that due to being in trouble all day, and a quick stint with the school councilor to discuss her "anger issues", she had missed Spencer. She had to drive to her house and do all this in front of whatever family members might happen to be home.

Ashley was pissed. She had been wrong, none of it was out of her system yet.

She stood outside Spencer's window for a few minutes, pacing, trying to collect her thoughts. She needed to forget about Madison, forget about Aiden, focus on nothing but Spencer. But she couldn't help but wonder why Spencer hadn't told her Madison had dropped a few other secrets into Spencer's ear.

"Spencer!" she finally called out. "Spencer Carlin! Spencer Pain-in-my-ass Carlin! Get to your window now."

Her blonde beauty finally appeared. "What about my ass?"

"Spencer, are you dressed?"

Spencer looked mighty confused but she answered, "Yes."

"Spencer, am I fully dressed?"
"As far as I can tell, yes."

"Am I touching you at all?"

"No. But you I think you're undressing me with your eyes."

"I'm being serious."

"Okay, no, you're not touching me."

"Right. Then Spencer Carlin, I wish for you to know that I love you. Now get down here so I can yell at you."

Spencer pouted. "I was kinda hoping for a John Cusack Say Anything boom box moment but I guess that will have to do. Except you kinda ruined the moment with that whole yelling at me thing."

Ashley went to the front door and waited. The door opened and Spencer peaked her head out. "Hello."

"Hello," Ashley responded.

Spencer frowned suddenly, getting a look at Ashley's head. "Ouch."

"Yeah, I fell."

"Right into Madison's fist I'm sure."

Ashley grinned. "Yeah, but clumsy girl fell into mine a good four or five times. So you heard huh?"

Spencer rolled her eyes. "It's not everyday the head cheerleader gets her ass kicked. It should be, but it isn't."

"You're not angry?"

"Well, I sorta am. But since apparently you've got some beef with me at the moment as well, let's just say we're even."

"I'm afraid I can't do that Spence. I need to know what else Madison told you about me. And I need you to invite me inside, cause I've had a tiring day and I want to sit down."

"Oh, right," Spencer led them both to the living room, sitting down on the couch and hugging a pillow, her blue eyes searching Ashley's. "It doesn't matter what Madison told me."

"Not according to your reaction yesterday at the beach."

"I was surprised. I thought Madison was full of shit is all. I was off guard, not only by when you said it but that you did. I'm sorry. Does it feel like we've been saying that a lot to each other lately?"

"Yeah, you took the words right out of my mouth. But I'm sorry too."

"Okay, so we're both sorry. We cool now?"

"I'm always cool."

Spencer threw her pillow at Ashley's head and stuck out her tongue. "So, you want to go upstairs and make out?" she asked.

"Yes…wait…no…yes…is this a trick, some kind of test?" Ashley asked, trying to find the loophole, she came here thinking they were in trouble already, and after being suspended and Spencer was already thinking physical.

Spencer merely raised her eyebrows and waited for an answer.

Ashley looked around the house.

"It's just us for at least an hour," Spencer informed her.

"You're just trying to get me to stop asking about Madison aren't you?"
"Well it is killing the mood." Spencer responded standing and walking towards the stairs. She turned back around and gave a seductive smile. "Coming?"

"Almost, yeah." Ashley responded, following the girl, watching the view the whole way.

"Wait," Ashley suddenly had a question, "you know how I feel, what about you? How do you feel about me?"

Spencer shrugged, "Meh," she said with a wink. Ashley could see all the answer she needed in her eyes.

"Come on Ashley, hurry up, my body isn't going to stimulate itself…although actually…"

"Whoa there, wait for me tiger!"