Title: Damaged

Summary: Everyone is damaged, she explained, but not everyone is broken. Ashley never thought that going back to Baltimore with Kyla would bring her face-to-face with the one person who made her feel like she wasn't broken.

Disclaimer: I don't own SoN. What I do own is a computer and the amazing ability to not do what I am supposed to with my time.

AN: So, yay! for positive reviews, which I love by the way. And if this bombs I'm deleting this chapter and reposting as a oneshot, just saying. Um, thanks again to all who reviewed again.

PS: Once again, if you are reading my HP fic (which I don't know why you would read that and this, seeing as how they are completely different media) I'm working on that, I swear. And it's not that I love this fic more than that one, it's just that smaller chapters are soo much easier to deal with. Yeah.

Ashley tucked her nose in the crook of her elbow and took a deep breath. The scent of peaches had long since been washed out of the faded navy fabric but the comfort she derived from the soft material had only increased in the year or so that she'd been in possession of the hoodie. She tilted her head to one side and watched herself draw little music notes in the corner of her notebook with half-lidded eyes.

Across from her two other brunettes, one male and one female, sat with their heads bent over a science book. The girl was Kyla Woods and she had only been in LA for just under two months. The boy on the other hand, Aiden Dennison, had lived there for nearly his entire life. Subtly (or as subtle as she thought she was) Kyla glanced over the lip of the book, which had gone on for at least three pages on the differences between meiosis and mitosis, and watched her half-sister with a curious frown.

For as long as she had know the girl, and for honesty's sake it hadn't been that long, she had always dressed in a manner that screamed 'you know you're jealous of this body and let me show you why' but today she was dressed in an oddly familiar hoodie and light denim jean skirt.

It was a habit of the younger girl, one that her best friend back home often called her fatal flaw, to notice what another person was wearing first, form an opinion and then acknowledge the person. She argued (often) that she couldn't help it, as fashion was kind of her thing. Another thing she couldn't help but to do was comment on said fashion.

"What is she wearing?" she whispered conspiratorially.

Her sister's best friend didn't even bother to glance from the book, "That's her comfort hoodie."

Kyla frowned, "Her what?"

Aiden sighed but again did not look up from his studying. Instead he tipped his head closer to her and lowered his voice so as not to be overheard, "It's like a security blanket. Whenever she's feeling stressed or sad or something she puts it on and it makes her feel better."

"Really? Why?" she asked eagerly wanting some insight to the closed book that was Ashley Davies. It wasn't that the older girl was cold to her exactly; at times it actually felt more like indifference. Kyla knew it couldn't have been easy for her to find out that her dad, her idol, had kept something as big as another daughter from her. Hell, Kyla was more shocked by the fact that she had a sister out there in the world than by the revelation of who her father was.

But what was the hardest thing to figure out was the fundamental difference between the two half-siblings, the thing that had Kyla reaching for some sort of connection and had Ashley shutting her down at every advance.

For the first month it was just the silent treatment, wary glances and snide remarks from the older girl. But in the last month when she realized that Kyla probably wasn't going anywhere (and likely due to the prodding of her best friend), Ashley slowly allowed her into the circle on a probationary term. The younger, however, was dying to let her curious nature break through.

No matter how much she wanted to know, the boy couldn't offer more than a shrug, "No idea. She never told me."

Kyla harrumphed and crossed her arms over her chest in a pout. Across from her Ashley's amorphous doodles began to form letters and she sighed against the pulling of her thoughts. "I can hear you, you know."

Aiden flipped her off absently while the younger girl blushed. She opened her mouth to apologize when a noise from her bag distracted her and caused a wide grin to split her face.

Let me know that I've done wrong

When I've known this all along

I go around a time or two

Just to waste my time with you

She clicked the 'accept' button on her cell phone giddily, "Hey there, sexy!"

Next to her, Aiden drew back with a frown and Ashley watched them both with raised eyebrows.

"No, we're at lunch right now, but I do have class here in a few." She switched the phone to her other ear, twirling a lock of hair around her fingers, "Would it matter? You know I'll always make the time for you." She paused to listen then covered her mouth to repress a snort of laughter, "Yeah, even in the middle of a screamin' good one. 'Cause I would know it's you," snicker, "Shut up, it's not creepy. You were the one to bring it up."

She rolled her eyes at Ashley like she knew what was going on in the conversation. "Ok, so instead of wondering at the depths of my dedication to you, which is, like, totally cataclysmic by the way," she paused again, "whatever. Just tell me your amazing news. Um, because the only time you call me midday is when you are so excited you forget you have texting? Duh, I know you."

After a pause she clapped her hands and shrieked happily causing her tablemates to cover their ears and the closer occupants of the quad to look in their direction. "Seriously?! Oh, congratulations, babes! I so knew you could do it! Um, because you're amazing on the field?" she laughed openly, "moving on now. When's the big game? I am so there."

She frowned at whatever was said back. "What do you mean you didn't think I was going to come? Oh, don't pull that crap with me, I can go to prom next year, you loser," she rolled her eyes with a fond smile. "My baby's going to States and you think I'm going to miss it for a stupid dance with people I barely know? Please."

She laughed quietly then, "Yeah, well, tell your girlfriend to kiss my ass because you were mine first." Ashley and Aiden shared a look over the top of his book, frowning together at the shy smile on Kyla face, "Yeah, I love you too. Alright, babes, I'll call you after I get home and talk to my mom. Bye, gorgeous."

She grinned softly at the device as she slid it shut and looked up to find the other two watching her closely, "What?"

"Do we have to have the secret boyfriend talk?" Ashley teased, closing the cover of her notebook and slipping it into her bag.

Kyla's frown deepened, "The what? What are you talking about?"

Aiden closed his book as well. "I thought you said you didn't have a boyfriend back in Baltimore," he added with a little wounded look that had both sisters looking at him oddly.

"I don't," she glanced down at the phone still in her hand. "Are you guys talking about this?" she asked, shaking the object a little, "That wasn't even a-"she scoffed, "That was my best friend, most definitely not my boyfriend, who's lacrosse team just went undefeated in tournament and is going to States next weekend. To whom I promised that if that ever happened, I would be right there for." She snickered to herself, "Can't believe you guys thought- Jesus!"

"So you're going back to Baltimore this weekend?" the boy asked, finally closing the science book in front of him.

"Oh, yeah," she grinned, stroking the phone a bit reverently with the back of her finger.

"And you're not going to prom?" Aiden prompted as he avoided Ashley's laser glare.

"I guess not," she replied lightly, like the thought didn't bother her, "but, I mean, we hadn't really talked about it, had we? Are you guys going to go?"

"No, I don't even have a date," he shoved the rest of his books in his bag, "And Ash doesn't do school sanctioned events."

The girl in question slipped the strap of her messenger bag over her shoulder and raised a fist in a power gesture, "Going three years strong."

Kyla laughed at her silliness and threw the remnants of their lunch in the garbage. As she was tucking her cell back into her purse she stilled suddenly and grabbed a hold of her sister and her friend before they could walk away to their English class, "Oh my God, brilliant idea!"

Ashley glanced down at the hand on her arm until her sister sheepishly let go and Aiden laughed at her enthusiasm, "Well, what is it?"

"You both should totally come with me!"

The two California natives glanced at each other, one hopeful and the other wary. "Yeah," Ashley adjusted the strap of her bag, "I don't think that's going to happen. Come on, Aid, you know how Mullins gets when we're late."

"Ashley," he called watching Kyla's crestfallen face, but the elder just walked away. He sighed but tried to offer the younger a smile, "I think it's a great idea, Ky, I'm in."

She smiled at him, but he could tell it was forced and that she really wanted to share her home city with her sister. "Don't worry," he pressed a hand to her shoulder, "I'll get her to come."

She smiled brightly then and Aiden was stunned by it until the warning bell rang and they separated for class on opposite sides of campus.

He caught up to his best friend and ex-girlfriend just outside of Mr. Mullins classroom, "Ash, wait up."

She paused just long enough to give him a bored look, "What?"

He frowned at her, not at all impressed with her attitude, "I really think we should go with Kyla."

"And I really think you should stop flirting with my sister, it's disgusting and I've asked before," she growled, scaring a passing classmate.

"Before you start making demands, I think you should start acting like it," he rumbled back, shifting to allow another student into the class.

"I don't have to act like it," she flicked him in the nose, "because it actually makes me physically ill, no acting required."

"I meant that you should start acting like her sister, because right now? She's the only one making an effort."

They were caught up in glaring at one another when their English teacher approached from inside the room, "Ms. Davies. Mr. Dennison. Perhaps you would like to join us?"

Ashley's nostrils flared as she shouldered past her best friend and took her seat. Aiden sat at the desk next to her, as he did in nearly all the classes they had together, but choose to ignore her for the first fifteen minutes of class. His best friend fidgeted in her seat, angrily took notes and generally fed the dark cloud that was forming over her head. Finally she hissed at Aiden, "If I do this, if I go, you have to stop pushing me to get to know her. After this I'm done."

Their English teacher leveled a glare at the both of them but Aiden managed to mutter, "Yeah, whatever."

She turned in her chair to poke him in the shoulder, ignoring Mullins' warning, "And you have to stop flirting with her."

"Sure," he smirked, sinking lower into his chair, "whatever you say." Even as he nodded absently, he whipped out his cell and fired off a text to Kyla.

She's in

Less than a minute later his phone buzzed in response.

You have no idea how awesome you are :)

On the other side of the school, in her French class, Kyla Woods bounced in her seat, unbelievably happy. Just as she was about to slip her phone back into her bag it buzzed once more in her hand. She wondered what Aiden could possibly respond with as she glanced down and saw the picture of her and a brightly smiling blonde girl flash across the screen of her phone.

Dear Kyla Woods. I miss you. I am glad you are coming home soon. There is no sunshine without you. And no one will make me brownies :(

A wave of homesickness passed through her as she typed back, pleased to be going home to see this girl.

Dear Spencer Carlin. I miss you more. I need a big bear hug. No one here lets me in the kitchen.