Hey, I apologize again for the confusion in last chapter. I think Spencer's point of view will be able to clear a few things up with you. A little background on what I'm putting Ashley through is probably something you all need to better understand it. Freshman year I lost one of my closest friends to a drunk driver after the homecoming dance. I went to all the ceremonies, but I never could grasp the fact that I would never talk to her again. But it didn't happen that way. Call me insane, but I started to call her. Every night, I would be on the phone for hours, with her. I would talk about our 'conversations' with people, and they always thought I lost my mind. It took a lot to get me to a place where I realized, she was truly gone. So, again I'm sorry for the confusion.

Stolen Hearts

[Spencer's P.O.V.]

So today has been crazy, to say the least. But the thing that gets me most is the fact that Ash has constantly been bringing up Aiden. At first I wanted to scream, because he's still one of those sore spots with me. Then she started saying how she called him, and he's going to drive her across the country to help her move.

I'm at a loss at what to do. I thought Ashley was okay with Aiden being gone; I mean she's been through it before with her Dad. Not that means it will be easier, just means she should know a little bit how to handle it.

I decided not to say anything to her, mostly because I don't know what to say. My Mom has talked about this before with patients she's seen, but I've never really paid too much attention. She's always going on and on about medical stuff, I've learned to tune her out.

Now I know that I have to fly back with her. There is no way she can go alone, thinking Aiden is there to help her out. I need to get Mom and Dad into the kitchen so we can talk, I don't want Ash to over hear anything and get upset. That's what I'm trying to avoid at all costs.

"What's wrong Spence you seem worried?"

He's always been able to read me like a book, but where do I even start?

"Spencer, whatever it is, we'll listen."

It's funny how now she says things like this, when before she was pulling my girlfriend out of my room by her hair. Oh how do things change.

"So, um, Ash found an apartment like 20 minutes from here. But that's not what I need to talk about."

What do I want to talk about, oh yeah, ASH LOST HER MIND. This is so insane, stupid even.

"Ashley keeps talking about Aiden. At first I didn't think of it as a bad thing, just her casually talking about him. Then she started saying she called to him, and that he said he would help her move out here. Except, there is no way she called him. It wasn't just a onetime thing either, she kept bringing him up. I even asked her what he said to her on the phone, and she gave me an answer. I'm worried that she's losing it or something."

My Dad's holding my hand, and my Mom's just sitting there staring into space. So even they don't know what to say?

"She's in denial Spence. I can't sit here and say I know exactly what is going on in her mind, but my guess is that it's some form of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. It's common after a death to go into this huge state of denial. She's trying to protect herself from all the grief and sadness. She isn't doing it on purpose just to seem crazy, she probably has no idea she's doing it at all."

Okay. So in short, she's lost her mind, and I'm guess I'm the one who has to find it.

"We'll help her with this Spence, don't worry."

Dad, always looking on the bright side, too bad right now that's mildly annoying, I just want to know what I have to do to fix this.

"I just want to fix her, that's it. I want it to go away."

"Treating denial usually isn't something that is too easy. Sometimes therapists even have trouble going about. I think the best thing of Ashley is for you to work through this with her. Think of the denial as an obstacle she needs to cross and not as something crazy as you keep implying."

"Mom, she's leaving to get her things tomorrow, and what is she going to do when Aiden isn't at the airport? What does she do when she goes to his house to find no one there? She can't go alone; I can't even think what she'd end up doing. I know she isn't crazy, because I know her. She isn't the thing that's crazy, it's the situation itself."

None of this should be happening. Ash just came here, for me, to fix us. Now all of this stuff, which I can't even begin to grasp, is going through her head. I don't even want to know everything she's going through. I mean, of course I want to know, but it's all so farfetched that I wouldn't know what to say or how to help.

"Then you're going with her. No sense in you being here worried. You have 2 weeks until school starts, I don't see why you shouldn't go with her."

Okay, typical Dad answer. Now for Mom, which is never as simple, or predictable.

"She isn't crazy. She's just unfamiliar with living without Aiden. So instead of facing the facts, it's easier to believe that it isn't true. Which seeing how you explained it she's doing unconsciously. Slowly, you need to take her to the cemetery. Just promise you'll call if you need any help."

Maybe she's coming around, because it might just be me, but it seems like she might actually care about Ashley. They both get up and hug me, and I told them I'd leave all the flight details on the table for them when we leave. Now, all I have to do is talk to Ash, which, I still have no idea what to say.

"Ash, you might want to sit down"

That got her attention really fast; it looked like she was just on the phone. Hopefully not with Aiden, that would make this even more difficult.

"So, I just got off the phone with Kyla. We kind of fought again, but it ended really well, she's actually moving out here too. I mean, unless you don't want that, and I'd understand and I'm sure she would too."

Kyla's coming? That's great, I guess. Unexpected, but not something I need to worry about, I'm sure it will all work out.

"That's great Ash! So, um, my parents said I could come. But there's something I kind of want to talk to you about first."

Her face drops, she hates when I say 'I want to talk' or anything close to that phrase. But, this talk should be easy for her, as far as Mom says, Ash will probably yell at me saying I'm lying and that Aiden is in fact alive.

"So you know how Glen was shot at prom? And a few other people were shot, but only two people died? Who else died Ash? Do you remember?"

She looks confused. I don't even know where I'm trying to go with this conversation, but I can't push it yet. We aren't even in LA; I can't get her pissed at me until we're at least already there.

"Spencer, what are you talking about? Glen was the only person who was killed. Shouldn't you know that? I mean are you okay, is something wrong?"

Maybe this is worse than I thought.

"No everything is fine. I just, you know, you keep mentioning Aiden. It's scaring me."

She looks angry, and confused, all at the same time. Not a good look on her, or anyone for that matter.

"We're just friends Spence, don't worry about it okay. I came here for you, not Aiden."

"Ashley, he's dead okay? Don't freak out, but he and Glen were shot at the same time. When Aiden jumped in front of us, he was shot. He didn't make it Ash, I'm sorry"

She thinks I'm crazy, I can tell by the look on her face. I keep trying to remember what my Mom said 'she isn't crazy, just unfamiliar with living this way'. Which I'm guessing is an easier way to say she's completely and utterly lost in this state of denial.

"Spencer, I don't know what you are talking about. Let's just pack some of your stuff and sleep okay. We'll just drop this, because you are freaking me out."

I'm freaking her out? That's great, considering I'm sitting here scared to death of how to handle this. I don't want to make this worse for her.

I'm dropping this for now. I need time to think about this before I get to LA anyway. I need to take her to Aiden's house, to the cemetery, to the memorial they made at the school. So many things need to get done, and at the same time we need to be moving all her stuff. Gosh, and I have to make sure Kyla and everyone else knows what's going on. This is going to be one hell of a trip; I know that much for sure. I just hope when it's over, she still wants to come live here.

So I've packed just about my whole closet, because I have no idea how long we'll end up staying there. I managed to call Kyla while Ash was in the bathroom showering. I think Kyla is more freaked out than I am, but it'll be okay, she promised.

"You know Spencer; I was so scared when I came out here. I have this feeling now, and I just know that all of this is worth it. This is all going to work out, I promise you."

At least I know there is more sane Ashley in there than insane Ashley. She's still the same girl, just a little lost. I just have to help get through this. It is really good knowing that she hasn't completely lost who she is; she's just lost her ability to deal. Maybe that's partially my fault, I mean, I never answered her calls. Maybe all she needed was to talk, and this could have been avoided? Or maybe this was meant to happen and I just have to deal with it.

"You promise huh? Well I'm glad, because I was scared too."

She's climbing into bed now, hair still wet, and puts her arm around me pulling me close.

"You don't need to be scared anymore okay? We'll both be okay; nothing is going to mess this up. I didn't work this hard just to give up. I'm here now, so none of the scary under the bed monsters can get you. I even checked in the closet."

Yeah, same old Ashley, I just really hope she's right. I hope this can't mess us up, and I hope that I'm worrying more about this than I should. Tomorrow we fly to LA, tomorrow everything changes. I just have to teach her to be familiar with life without Aiden. After that, everything is cake, right?

Okay, so I hope this chapter cleared a lot of things up. If anyone has any questions AT ALL, feel free to ask me. I have a bunch of experience with this very subject, so I'll answer questions as best as I can. I also have a few websites that I know of that will probably explain everything way better than I can, so like I said, feel free to ask. Anyway, give me feedback, come on whatcha waiting for?