"And that table over there is filled with Muses." Spencer pointed out the table where about a dozen strikingly good looking girls and impossibly gorgeous guys sat talking and laughing.
"So, if this was high school, they would be the artsy kids?" Ashley was taking in her new surroundings, who knew there were so many behind the scenes things going on.
"Sort of, on the Mortal Plane they seem to think that Muses only work for the arts but really, they're what causes all types of inspiration, from music to art to science to technology… really anything that truly inspired minds can come up with where inspired by a Muse." Spencer explained while grabbing a plate of fruit and a carton of milk.
Ashley was having a problem deciding between an incredible smelling cheeseburger with avocado and the most mouth watering lasagna she'd ever seen. She finally settled on southwest chicken wrap, being dead was no excuse to start packing on the pounds. Though, she did take a large slice of cheesecake. I've had a rough day, what with the dying and all.
She followed Spencer to an empty table in the back of the cafeteria. Every couple steps Spencer waved hi or called out a greeting to the many people who said hello to her. They all smiled hello at Ashley as well, curious about the new girl that was with Spencer.
"Wow, someone's popular." Ashley stated as yet another person called out hello as they sat down.
"Yeah, when you've been around as long as most of us have, everyone tends to know everyone else." Spencer shrugged it off. Ashley might have been new but she wasn't stupid by any means. She noticed how no one else had received as much attention as Spencer from those in the cafeteria.
Ashley smiled at the modest girl. "Uh huh, sure, Spencer." The two girls sat there, smiling stupidly at each other.
"Hey, Spence." A boy with wavy light brown hair set his tray down across from Spencer's, breaking up the moment.
Ashley quickly hide the annoyed look on her face at being interrupted in what was quickly becoming her favorite pastime, staring into Spencer's deep blue eyes.
"Kegan, hi, how are you?" Spencer's face lit up with a brilliant smile.
"I'm great. How are you? How is…everything going?" His pale blue eyes briefly shifted over towards the brunette sitting next to Spencer.
'Things are going well. Kegan, this is Ashley, Ashley this is Kegan." Spencer gestured between the two, making the introduction she knew Kegan had come over for.
"Nice to meet you, Ashley. How are you finding everything?" Kegan grinned at the new girl as he held out his hand.
"Likewise. So far it's a lot to take in but Spencer's a big help, keeping me from freaking out too much." They shook hands. Kegan smiled wider, showing off a dimple on his left cheek.
"Yeah, Spence is one of the bests." Kegan winked over at the blonde.
"Aw, thanks, Kegan, you're just saying that because you have to." Spencer teased. Ashley was confused, why would he have to kiss Spencer's ass?
"Whatever, you know you're the best Head Fate around, Carlin." Kegan continued grinning while reaching over and stealing a piece of watermelon off the Light Fate's plate. Spencer playfully smacked his hand away, pretending to be annoyed at the curly haired guy.
"Head Fate?" Ashley looked between the other two, confusion on her face.
"Oh, yeah, um, Head Fate is kind of like being the Resident Advisor in college. I just make sure everyone in my dorm is ok and that they're doing what they should be doing." Spencer explained nonchalantly, not wanting to make a big deal of it.
"Ah, don't let her fool you, Ashley, with her modesty, it's a pretty big deal." And it was, everyone adored Spencer, her dorm usually being the best behaved because something about the blonde girl just made everyone want to go out of their way to keep from disappointing her.
Spencer gave a shy smile, looking down at the table for a moment. She really didn't like being the center of attention. She wasn't shy but she didn't take compliments too well when it came to doing her job. To her, it was just what you did, no special recognition required.
"So… you're good at what you do, huh?" Ashley smirked playfully, seeing how the attention was making Spencer squirm, which she found completely endearing.
Spencer gave a slight half shrug, trying to get off the topic of her and her job. A part of her was afraid it would come out that she was on her way to a promotion and that wasn't a conversation she wanted to have with Ashley quite yet. The time would come and when Ashley would find out, Spencer knew that, but she didn't want Ashley to feel as if Spencer was just being nice to her to get promoted.
"Well, good, I wouldn't expect anything less than the best to help me out." Ashley continued, winking over at Kegan as Spencer was still looking mildly embarrassed.
Deciding to save his friend from further teasing, Kegan quickly changed the subject. "Did you happen to catch that interview on TV with Mick St. John today?"
"No, I took Ashley shopping, she needed to get some clothes and I wanted to pick up a few things of myself." Spencer smiled, thinking about the few carefree hours they had shared earlier, knowing it might be the only ones for awhile.
"You missed a good one, he was talking about how the balance needs to be readjusted, that the Gray's have been a little lax on their duties lately." Kegan's drew his mouth into a disapproving scowl.
"Wow, seriously? That's pretty much calling the Gray's out, nothing good will come of that for St. John." Spencer shook her head disapprovingly.
"Why is speaking your mind such a bad thing?" Ashley wondered out loud.
"It's not per say but you just don't talk bad about the other councils. It shows disrespect for the Balance of the Universe and the laws that govern it." Spencer explained.
Ashley slowly nodded her head; still not completely understand what the big deal was, so some Angel guy said the Gray's weren't doing their job. From where she had just been, it seemed to be the truth.
"Even if you have that opinion you don't go on national TV and broadcast it, it tends to rile people up and give them ideas." Kegan added, setting his carton of milk down hard on his tray.
Quirking an eyebrow at the guy, Ashley commented, "Like you?"
"No, but there are some who don't believe in the balance, on both the Light and Dark sides, that think the Grays have too much power. If some had their way, there wouldn't be a balance. It would be the strongest side wins." His cheeks were flushed at the thought of some working against everything they were supposed to stand for. He might just be a lowly Light Fate but even he knew how important it was, nothing could ever be all bad or all good.
"I wouldn't worry, you know how these things tend to pop up every few decades or so. It'll blow over, Mick will probably have to apologize and life will go on." Spencer took a bite of her yogurt, unconcerned about St. John causing trouble for anyone but himself.
'Yeah, but usually it's a Demon or someone from their side saying these kinds of things, never form our side." Kegan still wasn't convinced that this should be brushed off but decided to drop it.
"I respect Mick St. John because of his title but personally, I've always found him to be the most pompous of the High Angels. It might do him some good to be humbled a little." Spencer confessed, tugging a stray strand of hair behind her ear. Ashley listened as they talked, not knowing enough to contribute, picking up more information on the ways of this world she was now a part of.
"Yeah and on that note, I have to go pick up Brandi. We're going to go to Grey's tonight. It was nice meeting you, Ashley. I'll talk to you later, Spencer." Waving good bye to the two girls, Kegan picked up his tray and left.
"He seemed like a nice guy." Ashley said after a few moments of silence.
"Yeah, Kegan's a good guy. He can just be a bit of a worrier but he's one of my best friends. He's also a great Light Fate, very…um…strong in his convictions." Spencer set her empty yogurt cup down.
"The Force is strong in that one?" Ashley quipped, earning a chuckle from the blonde beside her. Her heart skipped a beat at the sound causing a broad smile to appear on her face.
"And you say you're not a sci-fi geek. Come on, let's go see if there's anything good on TV." They left the cafeteria and headed back to Spencer's dorm.
-------------------------------------
"I can't believe you have all these channels and still can't find something to watch." Ashley complained while Spencer flipped through the channels.
"Hey, you be around for over a hundred years, with the ability to watch just about anything ever made and then we'll talk. I've already seen everything I've wanted to plus a lot more that made me glad I have time to waste otherwise I'd have been upset I wasted it on that." Spencer tossed the remote over to Ashley who looked at all the buttons and quickly tossed it back.
"Alright, so with that search feature thingie we can find any show that's ever been on?" Ashley asked for what had to be the 5th time since Spencer had shown her the TV. She couldn't believe that anything got done on the In Between with viewing options like that available.
"And again I say yes." Spencer laughed. They were sitting on her couch a little closer than they needed to but neither seemed to mind.
"And I really don't have to worry about wasting time or anything? I'm like, immortal?" Turning slightly to get a better look at Spencer, the brunette asked.
"You won't die, if that's what you're asking. You could get promoted and move to the Higher Plane or, after a determined amount of time the Powers That Be might decide to reincarnate you, or if you really screw up severely, there's the threat of banishment, basically Purgatory but that's only used as a last resort." Spencer had only seen two people sent to Purgatory in all her years and had only heard of a handful from others. It wasn't that big of a threat in her life because she was one to follow the rules. Just the threat of it was enough to keep people in line.
"Purgatory? Like where you have to chill until you get to move on?" Ashley tucked one leg under her, laying one arm on the back of the couch so that her whole body was now turned towards Spencer.
"Ah, no, I think the Catholics somehow got that idea from a Muse that must have been awful at their job. In Purgatory, you cease to exist, your life force, or soul if you will, dissipates into nothingness, scattered across the universe. I've never heard of anyone getting out of Purgatory." Spencer was very aware of how close Ashley was to her as the brown eyed girl's knee brushed against her thigh.
Even though she hadn't quite gotten use to not being alive in the way or place she was use to, Ashley was very much attached to existing. "Right, so we'll leave Purgatory off the tour."
"I think that'd be a good idea." Spencer laughed, trying to not pay attention to how Ashley seemed to be inching closer and closer to her.
"You know what an even better idea is? We should watch that reality show that Britney and Kevin did. I missed it the first time around, I didn't want to waste the time but seeing as how things have changed…" Ashley cutely wiggled her eyebrows while plastering the most adorable smile on her face that made Spencer incapable of saying no. 'I seriously have to snap out of this'. Spencer thought ruefully.
"You can watch anything and the first thing you want to watch is Britney and Kevin's horrific reality show?" Spencer rolled her eyes, searching for the show on her TV. Ashley nodded her head eagerly, the same smile firmly on her face.
After only two episodes of the train wreck that was Britney and Kevin: Chaotic ended, Spencer was fearful the brunette leaning against her was going to ask to watch another. Luckily even Ashley seemed to agree it was a waste for even people who had all the time in the world to waste. The emotional events of the day were finally catching up to her. She's been almost silent during the second episode, only rolling her eyes a couple times at the ridiculous things Britney was spouting onscreen.
"I'm pretty beat, do you mind of we go to bed?" She asked the blonde quietly.
"Sure, let me grab you something to sleep in." Spencer jumped up and moved towards her dresser.
"Thanks, I completely spaced on getting them washed. New PJ's are always so stiff until you've ran them through the washer a couple times." Ashley took the offered shorts and tank top from Spencer's out stretched arms.
"Tell me about it." Spencer answered while setting up the couch to sleep on.
"Do you mind if I take a shower?" Ashley was feeling a bit grimy, though who could blame her with the day she'd had.
"Not at all, make yourself at home. I'm going to go brush my teeth and wash my face then the bathroom will be all yours." Spencer offered. She wanted to already be settled on the couch when Ashley got done so there wouldn't be a repeat of this afternoon over who was sleeping where.
"Thanks, I really appreciate everything you've done for me today." The sincerity in the shorter girl's voice went straight to Spencer's heart.
"It was my pleasure." She replied, just as sincere. If anyone would have asked Spencer that morning if she would get attached to the other girl, who was only suppose to be her assignment, she would have laughed. But after spending the day with Ashley, it was hard not to, there was something incredibly charming about the brown eyed girl that Spencer was drawn to.
Twenty minutes later, Spencer was all settled on the couch when Ashley came out of the bathroom dressed for bed, towel drying her hair. The blonde averted her eyes, not wanting to stare at the sight in front of her, but honestly, Ashley look gorgeous with chestnut curls framing her face and falling down around her shoulders. This is not the time to be checking her out, but my God, she looks better in my tank top than I ever did.
Shaking her head, Spencer tried to get rid of the more than friendly thoughts she was having towards Ashley at that moment. Especially considering she'd been around long enough to know that Ashley was probably headed straight for a breakdown, most did their first night when the day had ended and the shock wore off. It was the first step in letting go of their old life and accepting their new one.
"I told you I'd take the couch." Ashley sat down on the edge of the bed, still drying her hair.
Spencer sat up, looking over the back of the couch and at the brunette, "And I told you that you're a guest, so you take the bed." She smiled, reassuring the girl she was fine sleeping on the couch.
Ashley sighed, setting the towel on the back of the computer chair. "Fine but if I'm here another night I get the couch tomorrow."
"Deal." Spencer reached next to her to turn off the night after Ashley had gotten into bed. "Good night, Ashley, if you need anything, feel free to wake me."
"Thanks. Good night, Spencer. Today wasn't such a bad day after all." Ashley replied putting on a brave front.
Long after the lights had gone out, Spencer stayed awake staring at the ceiling, listening for any signs of distress from the brunette on the other side of the room. After about an hour when her eyes started getting heavy, she heard the sniffling.
"Ash?" she quietly questioned. "Are you ok?" Internally she groaned at her lameness, of course she wasn't ok.
"Um…uh…yeah" came the unsure response, confirming that everything was in fact, not ok. Spencer made her way to the bed, gently sitting on the edge. The small brunette was curled into a ball, facing the wall, her body shaking with barely suppressed sobs.
"Hey, it's okay." Spencer rubbed the trembling back, knowing she couldn't make this better but she could be there to show the upset girl that she wasn't alone.
Ashley turned over and wrapped her arms around Spencer's waist, finally letting the tears she was holding back to escape. "I'm only 19, Spence, I had so many things I was going to do. I had just finished my first album, I was going to go on tour and my sister, Kyla, was going to come with. I'm never going to get to see my sister again, I'm never going to get to argue with her over her horrible taste in music again or hear her yell at me for leaving my wet towels on the bathroom floor."
Spencer sat there silently, running one hand through the still damp hair, the other rubbing small circles on Ashley's back as she got cried about the life she missed and all the things she had never had the chance to do.
An hour later, Ashley's sobs had subsided into occasional sniffles. Some how during all of it, Spencer had found her self laying down on the bed, her arms holding Ashley while the smaller girls head was on her shoulder, face buried into her neck. Muffled words were heard but Spencer was unable to make them out.
"Huh? I'm sorry I didn't catch that." She said quietly, not wanting to startle the girl.
Ashley pulled back slightly, not wanting to move out of the warm, safe arms that were holding her but enough to ask her question. "Can I go to my funeral?" she asked again in a very small voice, sounding very much like a lost child.
There were two schools of thought on the In Between about allowing people to attend their own funerals. Some believed it helped in the letting go process, allowing a sense of closure, while others thought it only made people more depressed about losing the life they had when it was polished up and put on display like it was at their own funeral. Spencer knew it depended on the person but as it was, no one was denied the right to go to their own funeral if they asked.
"Of course, if you want to go, we can go." Spencer tightened her arms around the small frame laying in them, feeling Ashley's arms tighten around her waist in response.
"Thanks. Um, do you mind sleeping here with me tonight? I don't want to be alone." She asked in that same small voice. It was hard for Ashley to show any weakness, even harder to ask for help. These were all things Spencer already knew about the girl, so there was no way she would say no when Ashley had been brave enough to ask.
"I'll stay right here all night." She softly said. The only response she got was Ashley burying her face into her neck again as sleep slowly over took them both. A brief thought that perhaps this wasn't the smartest thing to be doing floated through Spencer's mind but she was too comfortable to give it a second thought as she slipped into unconsciousness.