Flashbacks are in italics.

This flashback was taken from Wash It All Away – Chapter 44.2: The Key To Life Is...

48.3 - Her Place

Spencer's PoV

Success!

Ashley and I have been talking about the little stuff during our meal at My Place.

I wanted to make her getting the job a bigger deal, but telling her just how happy and proud I was of her sent her to the moon and back, so I thought that was a big deal. She promised to talk more about it when she really got her foot in the door.

I had no problems with that.

Ashley gave me directions to where she wanted me to go. She told me I wouldn't be disappointed and the moment she told me to turn down McLean Avenue, I knew where we were going.

Her house.

"Welcome to my humble abode." Ashley grinned as she opened the door and kicked off her shoes. She turned on a flashlight she had grabbed from her car and searched a box in the hallway. "Ah ha!" She waved candles at me and wiggled her eyebrows. "Davies has some charm as well."

"Romantic." I smirked and wrapped my arms around her waist from behind, kissing the back of her neck. I looked up and noticed the view Ashley had from her own living room window.

My place.

"Now that is a beautiful view." I murmured against her neck.

"Yeah," Ashley smiled and leaned into me. "Dylan was super excited to know we'd still be in view of your place."

"Lucas too, I'm sure." I added.

We talked about the girls' games coming up and their school grades. I shared stories of Dylan while she was in my care before I knew she was a Davies. Ashley shared me younger stories of her daughter and we both realized she had not changed one single bit.

I warned her that it'd change because knowing Lucas, she'd be corrupting her daughter into a 'dark' side.

You know, sleeping in when you're supposed to be getting up for school.

Not going to bed right away when asked.

Talking on the phone for hours.

"Gee," Ashley laughed and nudged me as we sat in the middle of her empty living room of her new house. The room was lit by candles and Ashley thanked herself for having the heat turned on early so she could work on it during the evenings before her and Dylan moved in. "You're making it sound like a blast once my kid hits the age of twelve."

"Eh," I shrugged and looked around the darkened small yet spacious room, "like I said, I don't see Dylan being a problem. Hell Luc isn't a problem, she's just more vocal."

"Yet you can barely get her to go to school?" Her perfect eyebrow rose in question.

"I cheat." I said seriously. "No school, no hockey. No hockey, no happy Luc."

"And one happy Luc makes one happy Spencer, right?" Ashley grinned and moved to grab another bottle of Dr. Pepper from her mini-fridge.

"Right." I nodded and frowned, "wait, am I using reversed psychology on myself?"

"You need to stop drinking all this caffeine." Ashley laughed but handed me a Dr. Pepper anyway.

"You need to stop drinking the caffeine," I said seriously, "little Ashley has school tomorrow!"

"Spence," Ashley chuckled and looked at her watch, "it's only after ten."

"Ugh, it's late." I groaned and she continued to laugh at me. "What? I have three meetings tomorrow and one of them is not going to be a happy one."

"I'm sorry." Ashley frowned in concern as if she were remembering what exactly my job entailed again. "Did you want to go?"

"No." I whispered honestly and moved the drink aside before crawling across the freshly cleaned floor and found myself sitting in the brunette's lap, my mouth on hers softly.

Ashley was so fucking addictive.

Fingers traced cheekbones as mouths continued to connect in light and deep kisses. I shifted more comfortably in her lap and let out a breathy moan when her hands slipped from my face and down my sides, gripping my hips tighter.

The kisses turned hotter and needier.

"God Spencer." Ashley finally pulled away slightly, her eyes dark and wide. "The things you do to me."

"Care to share?" I whispered and grinned when she chuckled throatily and nipped at my bottom lip before we fell into another round of kisses.

I couldn't tell you exactly how good it felt to be there with Ashley. Kissing and holding her without any interruptions. Just the two of us reconnecting in ways we felt were validated.

No words could really describe how I was feeling; how every day since Ashley returned, I woke up feeling happier than I ever have before. I felt like I could make it through a rough day knowing that I would be able to see her. Knowing that in some cosmic way, fate brought us together the moment Dylan was handed to me under my care.

Thank you, Dad.

I was thankful, don't get me wrong. It was the way everyone went about it that pissed me off.

Ashley was as much in the dark as I was but for some reason, she didn't seem as angry as I did. It saddened her more than anything.

I was a Carlin though and anger ran through my veins. It was a good adrenaline rush for hockey.

A moan brought me back from my thoughts and Ashley's grip around my hips seemed more desperate. It was amazing how easily we would fall back into each other. It was the kind of connection most people long for.

And I hadn't had it for twelve years yet there I was, straddling the woman who left me that long ago – with all of that passion and connection back in place as if it were never removed.

Suddenly all I wanted to do was talk. As good as it felt to have her kissing me and vice versa, there was so much more to us than the need to be physically attached. I missed her skin, her lips, her touches, the sounds she made…

…but I missed hearing her voice when she'd talk to me; talk with me.

I grazed my lips against hers softer that time and smiled before scooting off her lap. I couldn't tell you how long the rational side of my brain will work so I figured it'd be best to detach myself before my 'lower' brain took over again.

"Is everything okay?" Ashley asked breathlessly, her thumb reaching out to run across my bottom lip briefly.

"Perfect." I nodded and kissed her to let her know I wasn't lying. "I just thought of something."

Ashley bit her lip and sat back, looking at me curiously.

"We should talk." I whispered, watching the shadows dance across her face with grace. "I miss hearing your voice."

She dipped her head slightly and smiled before looking back at me. "What did you want to talk about?"

"Everything." I shrugged and got comfortable, sitting cross-legged in front of her so that our knees were touching. "Like," I tapped my fingers against the plastic bottle I had grabbed quickly, "tell me one thing you did that you thought you'd never do over the past twelve years."

She leaned back on her hands and stared up at the ceiling, as if she were thinking really hard for a good answer. "Probably having Dylan." Her eyes met mine. "Life was great with Alex," she swallowed and I just smiled to let her know that I understood their friendship back then and I wasn't going to be upset over anything she said, "I created a lot of music and it was really awesome for a while there. Then I just wanted out. I didn't want that life anymore and soon found myself wanting a family. A baby. Someone I could take care of and just… I thought about it for over a year before deciding I was going to go through with it."

"Go through it alone?" I asked softly.

"Yes." Ashley nodded and smiled, shrugging a little bit. "It was my thing. Something for me. I knew if I had told Alex about it before hand, she'd talk me out of it."

"So you never thought you'd have children?" I asked curiously.

"Well yes," she blushed, "in high school, remember I was trying to figure out how to make 'Spencer' babies?"

//

"So what did you get me?" I whispered in Ashley's ear during Family Studies class.

"A bong." Ashley smirked as my face lit up.

"Seriously?" I smiled but then frowned. "And you say I'm the romantic one."

"Well…" Her tongue rolled between her teeth as she smiled widely at me, "since you told me that I couldn't make plans for tonight, I figured I'd just give you another quickie in the girl's change room."

I smirked and shook my head. "And you say I'm the insatiable one."

"You are." Ashley smiled and tapped my book. "Do your work Carlin."

I gasped. How dare she use my line! I was not getting distracted! "I will if you will."

"I am." Ashley whispered and pointed to her notebook. I leaned over as she pointed to what she had written: How to make Spencer babies.

I burst into laughter and was immediately called on it by the teacher. "Miss Carlin."

"Sorry," I mumbled between giggles and looked at Ashley, who was smiling wide.

"Well it is Family Studies, Parenting. I would love to know how to make a Spencer baby." Ashley said seriously and continued to scribble hearts around my name.

//

Oh.

Yeah.

I grinned and nodded.

"Now I have a 'Spencer' pre-teen." Ashley poked me slightly and I blushed. "You really slept with a guy?"

"Don't remind me." I groaned.

"I think I've said this a gazillion times but Lucas is gorgeous, Spence." Ashley whispered. "You would think that you had her all on your own, she's such a spitting image of you."

"I could say the same with Dylan." I grinned and she sighed, smiling at the mention of her daughter's name. "Why Dylan?"

"Huh?" She looked at me slightly confused.

"Why did you name her Dylan?" I asked again, that time licking my own lips.

"She was my girl," Ashley's brown eyes gazed at me with intense emotion, "and the moment I laid eyes on her, I could see you."

"Me?" I whispered in awe.

"Duh Spence," Ashley giggled quietly, "I had her name picked out regardless if she was going to be a boy or a girl, so I named her Dylan Marie Davies."

"Marie for Alex?" I asked quietly.

"She was there for me." Ashley sighed and our eye contact finally broke. "I hate that she wasn't there for you Spencer and if I had known, I would've at least talked to her about it. Alex bringing you up was a big no to her. She never told me why you two went so long without talking to each other and frankly, I found it none of my business. I just figured if she wanted to talk to me about it, she would. I wouldn't push."

I nodded and understood – to a point. "You never mentioned me?"

"I did." Ashley swallowed. "I remember," she laughed quietly to herself, "Dylan used to ask who 'the blonde' hockey player was that was in my dresser drawer."

"Underwear drawer?" I smirked and she laughed. "You had a picture of me?"

"That collectible 2010 Vancouver Olympic trading card. It was a picture of you scoring the winning goal." Ashley blushed and cleared her throat. "Dylan was only three when she found it laying out on the bed. We were getting ready to move across the city so I could head to school and I had all of my clothes scattered on the bed. She loved my clothes and wore the shirts as oversized dresses when she was younger."

"Aww." I giggled. I could just picture the miniature Ashley running around in her mom's clothes.

"So she picked it up and asked who 'the hotey payer is'." She imitated a three year old voice. "And I told her that the hockey player was someone I was very closed to and missed a lot."

I looked at her and felt my heart beating against my chest. "Lucas knew of you as a friend. I mean, she liked to snoop a lot and then there was a point when she'd ask questions and I didn't like to hide things from her. It wasn't until after we had Dylan that she put two and two together, connecting my past with my present."

"Wow," Ashley breathed, "smarty pants."

"Indeed." I nodded with a smile. "So you said you came to my games all the time?"

"All of them." Ashley blushed. "Not to sound like a creepy stalker but it was the only part of you I had. Hockey became a thing with Dylan afterwards. I'd never let her play but she'd constantly watch."

"Every single game?" I asked.

"Including the ones across the world." Ashley moved close, her lips whispering against mine. "I should have never left you, Spencer. I should have never gotten scared and ran the way I did. I should have been more mature about it and talk to you with how I was feeling. I know we could've made things work out."

"Ash." I breathed painfully and closed my eyes. The past still stung a little but I knew she had to say these things. I knew she wasn't doing it to hurt us by revisiting painful events, it was just part of healing us. "Maybe I shouldn't have been so pushy or self-involved."

"Self-involved?" She sat back and stared at me. "Spencer, you were a teenager who really knew what she wanted in life. You had a dream and you were going to go through with it regardless. That takes a lot of balls, don't you think?"

"It cost me you." I blinked and found myself whispering a little.

"No, I was the one that took the easy way out for me." Ashley said firmly and I found my face in her hands. "You were so fucking perfect, Carlin. You were the most gorgeous girl and you wanted me. You were willing to throw everything away for me. You were just so perfect and loved me unconditionally and ugh," she pressed her forehead against mine, "I'm so lucky to have you here with me right now. Breathing the same air, sharing those sweet kisses, just – talking to me."

"Ashley…"

"I should have been better. I should have known better, you know?" Ashley finally stopped and closed her eyes. "I should have loved you more."

"Do you?" I asked, closing my own eyes. "Do you love me more now?"

"I never stopped." Ashley whispered against my lips. "Never, Spencer. Even when we were apart, I found myself falling more in love with you."

I smiled and felt tears fill my eyes. "Say it."

"I love you." Ashley opened her own teary eyes. "I love you so much. I'm so in love with you that it still scares me but I'm not going to run this time. I'm not going to go anywhere."

I licked my lips and leaned forward, my lips finally connecting with hers gently. "I love you, Ashley." I whispered.

It didn't matter when Ashley and I confessed those three words again because regardless, it was what we felt and what was felt all along.

"Tell me," she pulled back and wiped her eyes lightly, "what do you think was the best move you've made in the past twelve years?"

"Coming home." I sighed and looked around the empty house. "Kenora was the one place you promised me happiness and I found it - without you even. Not like that 'oh I'm so happy I don't need anyone' kind of way. Just that I knew I could make it work with just Luc and me."

"Good." Ashley smiled and stood up, taking my hand in hers, pulling me up as well. Her hands went behind my neck and then her head was lying on my shoulder. "I missed this smell right here." Her nose lightly brushed my neck as she inhaled. "I remember it'd be a little sweeter after you'd play hockey."

"Ah, the sweat you were obsessed with." I teased and held her tighter against me.

"I wasn't obsessed!" Ashley laughed and slapped my chest before looking at me. She was so gorgeous. "I just had a thing."

"Oh, a thing." I nodded with a hearty laugh. "Well I missed this," I leaned forward and pressed my lips to the tip of her nose, "you're cute."

"Want to get out of here?" Ashley blinked and ran her fingers through my hair.

"Am I boring you?" I pouted.

"No you goober," Ashley shook her head with a chuckle, "I just figured you had other plans and I didn't want to monopolize them."

I looked around the place and nodded. "We should walk though."

"Walk?" Her eyes went wide as saucers. "Spencer, you live-"

"Right across the lake. The frozen lake." I nodded with a grin and went to grab my boots to put them on.

"What?" She laughed at me as if I were crazy. "Spencer!"

"Hey," I turned around and pulled her towards the door after blowing out all the candles, "We're not driving. Now come on and grab your coat. There's no trail on the ice so it'll be slightly deep."

"I also missed you taking charge." Ashley growled under her breath and slapped my ass before grabbing her coat and shoes.

Once we were outside, I felt her hand slide into mine as we started to climb down the uncovered pathway to her dock area. I had a lot of snow falling into my boots and I knew Ashley had snow in her shoes already too.

"Are you sure the ice is safe?" Her brown eyes looked at me worriedly.

"I've lived on this river for years Ash. Lucas and I sometime walk clear across there just to do some ice fishing with Eph and Chase. It's safe." I squeezed her hand. "Trust me."

"I do." She smiled and that was the end of conversation.

We made it safely to my end of the lake and sighed with relief when we finally found a clear path to walk on. "My feet are fucking cold!"

"No shit Sherlock." Ashley's teeth chattered and I let her go up the stairs in front of me. "I call shower first."

--

Next time in Points Underneath:

"So what you're saying is that in order to get her attention, I need to talk to her?" I asked with my hand on my chin.

"Duh." Lucas chuckled and pulled her covers back over Dylan.

I didn't know her last name though, but because of role call, I knew her first.

Eliza.

"Stop drooling." Dylan poked my cheek as she doodled a cartoon character on my math notebook. "It's not attractive."

"Dude's got a point." Lucas shrugged and sketched a picture of some scenery out of a magazine. "If you like her so much, ask her out."