My apologies for the delay! I know you're all patient with waiting however I'm giving a nice shout out to Louise & Nhiza! Thank you :)

I don't own SoN.

Enjoy!

82.1 – The Missing Piece

Spencer's PoV

The week was hell for me, the meetings were way too long and I missed my family. Luckily enough though, the board was looking into better and improved ideas of how to run a successful children's development in bigger cities.

I was able to spend most of my time with my dad though, seeing as he was a part of the Board of Directors. Kyla had slipped away from Midtown to visit me in the city, leaving Aiden with the kids for a couple of days.

"I can't believe you're leaving already!" Kyla whined as she helped me pack my suitcase. "It feels like you just got here."

"I know and I'd love to stay but I'm going out of my mind without Ashley and the kids at my side." I replied honestly, sighing sadly.

"Oh my God, Matthew looks so adorable." Kyla gushed for the millionth time over the photos I had of the girls and Matthew together in my wallet. "Is he a keeper?"

I glanced at her and bit my lip. "I promised I'd find him a really great home."

"And you did." Kyla smiled and winked.

"Ashley and I haven't talked about it but," I paused and picked at the sweater that was in my hands, "I wouldn't be opposed to the topic of adoption."

Kyla shrieked and wrapped her arms around me. "You guys are so freaking meant to be. I swear if I wasn't so self absorbed and trying to keep Aiden a secret back in high school, I would've caught on eventually."

"I still can't believe you slept with the guy I was seeing." I pulled a face and she smacked me on the arm. "What? I know it was a long time ago blah blah. But still Ky, scraping my left over's?"

"Ha ha." She responded dryly. "When did you and Ash start seeing each other anyway?"

I smirked. "Remember that one day, I had a double header with the team and I was meeting everyone for breakfast before the games started?" She nodded, listening intently, "well remember when no one could find Ashley and you came looking for me in the locker room?"

"Uh huh..." Kyla raised an eyebrow.

"Well I had you get Alex for a reason that morning. She kind of knew about us and at that moment, Ashley was naked in the shower with me." If it were twelve years ago and I was relaying this information to Kyla, I'd be nervous as hell but at that moment I couldn't help but carry a smug and satisfied smile.

"Oh." Kyla nodded before her eyes went wide. "Oh my God!!"

I laughed and threw an article of clothing at her. "What, you asked."

"No! I didn't ask when you two had sex for the first time." She stuck her tongue before wiping her face with her hands. She was probably wiping the naughty visuals out of her head. "Really though? Your first time was in the arena's shower stall?"

"Hot, Kyla. It was so fucking hot and good." I reminded her.

"Okay yea, ew." Kyla laughed and stuffed my suitcase with more clothes. "When did you guys become involved romantically?"

"About a month after she moved in with Aiden. I was helping her with a paper and then before I knew it, my lips were sealed to hers. Things heated up pretty quickly, both sexually and romantically. For a while there she ignored me because she realized that she was messing around with her cousin's girl but then she was at my door one night, telling me she was in love with me. We snuck around for a little while until I just couldn't lead Aiden on like that anymore." I smiled at the fond memories of our teenaged years.

"Aww." Kyla sniffled and pulled me into a hug. "I used to wonder if Aiden was only with me because he knocked me up but he's the sweetest husband and a perfect dad. So thank you for breaking up with him."

I laughed and nodded. "Anytime."

"So the big day, it's just around the corner!" She let me go and grabbed a bridal magazine that she had brought with her. "I was thinking that maybe we should really take this planning thing seriously because you've hardly said a word about it lately. You're not getting cold feet, are you?"

"Yeah right." I snorted. "I can't wait for the day when I can legally sign my name 'Spencer D. Davies'."

"Good. Does Ashley know where she wants it yet?"

"No, but we've talked about a few places. Since Tracey and Alex aren't going to be married, we could take their opening at the court yard by the lake." I suggested and pictured it. My luck though, it'd rain so we had to have a backup plan.

"Well I'll talk to her about that then. In the mean time, we have to start looking into all the finer details of this wedding. Your dress, my dress...oh I can't wait!" I swear if Kyla could have a wedding every single year, she would. Ever since we were little she'd plan up dream weddings and vacations. I felt sorry for Cailyn when she found herself a good young man to marry. Kyla would be like the mother of the bride-to-be from hell.

"Let me finish packing and then we can get all crazy with the planning until I have to go catch my flight." I laughed and she happily complied.

Over six hours later I was stepping off the plane and heading towards the luggage claim. It had been a rather short and smooth flight but I was anxious to make the two hour car ride home so I could be reunited with my family.

A week may not be that long but it was long enough. After being away from Ashley for twelve years, I didn't want to spend another day without her by my side. Lucas had never been away from me since after my knee injury in hockey so I knew she was taking it hard too. I was just happy she had family and Jaiden to keep her occupied until I came back home.

I grabbed my luggage off the belt and before I knew it, I found myself swept up from behind, my body crushed into a familiar form. My heart pounded and when I turned around I was met with warm chocolate eyes burning into my soul and a smile melted me from the inside. "Ashley!"

Ashley gave me her famous nose crinkle grin and cupped the side of my face before taking my lips into her own. The kiss was so passionate and igniting that we could've lit the whole airport on fire. I knew there were people around us, some drooling, some giving us mocking glares, but I didn't care. All I cared about was the woman in my arms, taking my breath away.

"God baby, I missed you." Ashley whispered against my lips before kissing me over and over again.

I wasn't sure how long time had passed us but soon we were making our way to the car. "Where are the kids?" I asked, my head still reeling from my 'welcome home' kiss.

"Jaiden has the girls and Ryn has Matthew. I know you were going to rent a car to drive home but I couldn't resist surprising you." Ashley smiled and squeezed my hand. "How was your trip?"

I threw my luggage into the trunk of her mustang and sighed, rolling my head a bit. "Long, boring and lonely. Kyla managed to raid my mini fridge for a couple of days though. Which reminds me, she's calling you later on about details of where you want the wedding."

Ashley shook her head with a smile. "I'll tell her to let me worry about the destination. You girls just work on the dresses and other bridal details, okay?"

I swooned and kissed her cheek. "I'm so happy you drove here to get me."

"I called your mom, she told me you were at the airport already in Toronto. I figured I had enough time to come sweep you off your feet. This mustang makes a two hour drive feel like nothing!" Ashley squeezed my hand.

"So the kids were good for you?" I asked as she made her way out of the airport parking lot.

"The best." She nodded with a proud smile. "Lucas helped out a lot. She helped Dyl with her homework, she helped me with feeding Matthew and she didn't yell or throw a pre-teen hissy fit once. I think whatever Jaiden's been saying to her is helping out a great deal."

"Jaiden knows how to handle her, she always has. It's like this undeniable connection those two have and you can't break it at all. When Luc and I first moved here, she attached herself to ten year old Jaiden and never let go." I laughed and sighed.

"Matthew can officially say his 'L's now though. Dylan spent the entire week of her free time talking to him." Ashley beamed. "Those two hit it off quite well."

We made small talk all the way back to Kenora and the sun had already set by the time we reached the house. The lights were off and I raised an eyebrow. "I thought you said Ryn had Matthew?"

"Oh she does," Ashley nodded and grabbed my suitcase from the trunk before closing it, "at her place."

I frowned but she just grabbed my hand and dragged me towards the house. We flicked on the lights and I raised an eyebrow at my surroundings. Ashley's favourite recliner was sitting in the middle of the living room. Extra coats and shoes were placed by the door in a tidy manner. Ashley's favourite coffee mug that she kept at her place was sitting on the kitchen table.

"What?" I turned around to face her and she just gave me a big smile.

"Surprise!" She threw her arms around me and nuzzled my neck, placing a soft kiss there. "You said whenever I was ready to make a decision on the move that everything would be dropped and we'd do it. So I had Chase and Ephiny help me this past week and here we are," she inhaled deeply before pressing her lips to my ear, "home sweet home."

I gasped before grinning like a fool. "Do you even realize how perfect you are?" I squealed like a high school cheerleader and hugged her tighter. "Wait," I frowned and pushed her back slightly, "what about your house? You put so much hard work into that, especially with the girls' rooms."

"I wouldn't worry about that. I'm renting it out to a new little family. They're both lawyers and have a 4 year old son. They're also expecting in a few months so they'll be using Lucas' room as the nursery. We've signed agreements saying if there's any damage done then, well, they'll be paying for it." Ashley beamed proudly and shrugged. "I don't want to let that house go so I thought maybe we'd rent it out until the girls are old enough to be on their own or maybe Jaiden."

"Aww," I grinned and nuzzled her nose with mine, pulling her into a short soft kiss. "So when are we expecting the kids home?"

Ashley pulled back and closed her eyes briefly before opening them up and showing a darker shade of brown. She blinked slowly before biting her lip and glancing back at the clock above the fireplace mantel. "An hour, maybe two." She bit her lip and grinned before her hand slid around my waist and pulled me tight against her. "I think you wanna come with me and check out the bedroom."

"Oh yeah?" I teased and nipped at her bottom lip lightly. "Did you change it around?"

Ashley ignored me and tugged me up the stairs. The bedroom door opened and I found it pretty much the same as when I left.

"What's different about it?" I asked, slightly confused.

Ashley let out a husky chuckle and shut the door behind her, making sure it was locked. I raised an eyebrow at her and she just shook her head and pushed me back on the bed. My ass hit the mattress and I glanced up at her shocked. "There's been one thing missing in here all week," she whispered and tugged her plain white hoodie over her head, throwing it across the room. I found my lap topped by a topless brunette and her lips were right next to my ear. "You wanna know what that missing piece is?"

I swallowed and clutched at her warm, lithe hips, squeezing my eyes shut. "Ash," I hissed when she tugged on my earlobe with her teeth.

"You, naked and flat on your back." Ashley growled softly and pushed me over, quickly getting to work at disrobing me.

Fuck. Yes.

Maybe I should leave out of town more often if this is the welcome home treatment I get.

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