I'm back! Hello everyone, that was a long 4 weeks of training. I was not able to work on this nearly as much as I wanted to. This chapter was pieced together throughout the past 4 weeks when I had a few minutes here and there. I'm feeling a little scattered right now, I have several different directions I could see this story going but not sure which way to take it. I'm going to continue to free write, not doing much editing right now while I figure out the direction. Once I get back into a solid swing I will go back and edited the last 3 chapters or so.

Any feedback will be greatly appreciated as far as where to take this story.

Let me know what you think!

Chapter 13 – rough draft

Ashley grabbed her notes and headed for the boardroom for the Friday meeting. Walking in she groaned when she saw the only empty seat was the one next to Spencer. She sat down turning the chair so her back was to the blonde it had been four days since they almost kissed.

"Hello Ashley."

She responded with a quick hello not yet ready to talk to her. Luckily before Spencer could say anything else Aiden started the meeting. Ashley had two cases that he wanted updates on; one was going before the judge next week and would probably be closed with the children reunified with the parents. The other was a case that opened last week he wanted to know what the reunification plan involved and what was decided at the fact-finding hearing.

Ashley was relieved that this meeting was short quickly walking out of the boardroom with Spencer quick on her heels.

"Hey Ashley, wait a minute."

Ashley continued to walk "I have a busy day" not wanting to have this discussion at work. Not wanting to have it at all, she was angry at Spencer as well as herself. It was too easy to fall back into those old feelings when she was around the blonde. She could feel her eyes on her back as she continued to walk to her cubicle releasing the breath she was holding when Spencer turned and walked in the other direction. Ashley's phone started ringing the second she walked into her cubicle "please do not be another case" she whispered before answer the phone. "Department of Child Services, this is Ashley Davies. How may I help you?"

"Ashley? Wow you sound so professional."

"Mom? Are you okay? Is dad okay?" Ashley began to panic her parents never called her on her work phone always calling her cell.

"Calm down, everything is okay. I tried calling your cell but it kept going to voicemail and I wanted to talk to you not your voicemail."

Ashley laughed pulling her phone from her pocket "Mom I turned it off for the meeting, the voicemail is meant for you to leave a message and then I will call you back."

"Yea, but I wanted to talk to you now."

Ashley knew there was no point in continuing this discussion "Okay mom, you got me what is so important you couldn't leave a message."

"Thanksgiving" her mom said seriously

Ashley groaned "Mom, Thanksgiving is a month away, why does this need a discussion right now?"

"No it's less than a month away."

"Okay, but you need to take it slow. We do not need a feast for Thanksgiving." Ashley's mother loved to cook and what better reason to cook than the holidays, she always made enough food for a small army.

"Pssh, cooking is taking it slow, besides you will help."

Ashley knew she was stuck now "of course mom."

Ashley and her mom talked for a few more minutes with her promising that she would come over soon to go over the menu for Thanksgiving. Ashley had the feeling that her mom wanted to ask something else but she didn't. After hanging up she heard someone clear their throat behind her turning to see Spencer standing there.

"How is your mom doing?"

"She's doing well, she's home now."

"That's good" Spencer chewed on her lip before asking "can we talk?"

"No, I have home visits to go to" she walked out of the cubicle. She checked in with Aiden letting him know that she was going to complete her visit and if he didn't have anything else for her to do she would just head home for the weekend. She walked to the elevators not looking in Spencer's directions ready for a nice long weekend.

The weekend had flown by Ashley had visited her parents, completed some work around the apartment, and her visited with the tiny blonde that was slowly filling her heart. She was staring at the photo on her phone she smiled thinking back to her visit with the tiny blonde Ashley had snapped the photo after the girl had knocked over the tower of blocks that she had just stacked. The smile on the girls face brought joy to her heart now more than pain and emptiness there is joy and hope in Marie's eyes. Lost in the memory of the little girl she jumped when someone tapped her on the shoulder

"Sorry Ashley, I didn't mean to startle you." Aiden said

"No it's okay, I was lost in thought." Ashley slid her phone into her pocket.

"Anything you want to talk about?"

"No I'm good, do you need something boss?"

"Can you be in my office in fifteen minutes for a meeting?"

"Sure, do I need to bring anything?"

"Nope, it's an informal meeting."

She watched him walk back to his office thinking about how she really enjoyed working for him and curious about this meeting. Exactly fifteen minute later she walked into his office surprised to see Spencer there, the look on the blonde's face told her that she was just as surprised to see Ashley. The blonde was about to say something when Aiden let them know the reason for the meeting.

"We have an out of state relative placement the child is a ten year old boy named Tony, no history of abuse. The mother was sentence to twenty years for a felony drug charge and there is no family in their current state. The grandmother lives here and would like the child to reside with her. All paperwork is complete you would only have to go there pick him up and bring him here."

Ashley was still trying to figure out what this had to do with both Spencer and her. Having out of state placements weren't uncommon but usually it was just one case worker who would transport the only reason there would be two is if "no way" Ashley didn't mean to speak out loud. Spencer must have realized the reason that they were both sitting in his office at the same time Ashley did if her body language was any clue. "Aiden, you've conveniently left out the bit of information telling us where the child currently resides." Spencer was the first to find her voice and ask the question.

Aiden becoming aware of the tension between the two women looked from one to the other before continuing quickly "Well he currently resides in Del Rio."

Ashley released a breath of relief "Tennessee, that's only a 12 hour roundtrip, down and back."

Aiden shifted uncomfortably "Well actually it's Del Rio, Texas"

"Texas!" Ashley groaned

"That's a 12 hour drive one way" the blonde said to no one in particular

"Actually it's eighteen hours one way"

"There's no one else that can go?" Ashley did not want to be in a car alone with the blonde.

"I'm sorry but everyone else has court appearances or cases that need to be followed up on. You two are completely caught up on your cases."

"When do we leave?" Spencer knew there was no point in arguing.

"Wednesday, take two days to drive down there, a day there, and then two days back. You can take tomorrow off to get things ready also the department will issue you a travel card for all expenses."

Ashley suddenly realized what was being said "wait, we are going to be gone Sunday?" her heart breaking at not being able to visit Marie.

"He has to be picked up by Friday."

Ashley just nodded making a mental note to call Kelly before she leaves. Once they had all the information they needed she quickly left his office heading back to her cubicle. Just as she sat down her cell rang, looking at the caller id she saw it was Kyla calling the anger she was holding at bay exploded "What do you want?" she said angrily.

There was a long pause then "wow who pissed in your cheerios?" came the annoyed voice.

"You did when you pulled that stunt this weekend."

"What?" Kyla was confused for a moment then realized what Ashley was referring too "so I'm taking it things didn't end well."

"Look Kyla there's a lot that you don't know, so I'd appreciated it if you" catching herself before she said something she would regret she didn't finish her sentence. She knew the one she was angry at was Spencer and not the girl on the phone. She didn't know the history between the two women so instead she said "Look Kyla there's a lot that happened between Spencer and I so can you please not play match maker."

"I'm sorry Ashley, I didn't know."

"I know, look I'm leaving to pick up an out of state placement when I get back lets hang out okay?"

They made plans to have dinner when Ashley returned. She logged off the computer and clean off her desk Aiden had given both her and Spencer the day off tomorrow to have time to prepare to leave Wednesday morning. Ashley didn't have anything that needed to be done at the time so she was going to call it a day and head home. She decided to stop by Spencer's cubicle to arrange what time they would meet Wednesday morning. Spencer was on the phone when she walked into her cubicle Ashley was going to leave when the blonde motioned for her to sit down signally that she would only be a few minutes. Ashley sat down watch Spencer while the blondes back was turned to her fighting the flood of different emotions she felt right now. She had never been so angry at someone before but what was really frustrating was she would catch herself wanting to be near the blonde. She decided that during this trip she was going to get some answers to all the questions she wondered over the years. Spencer hung up the phone turning to look at Ashley "hey."

"You are going to answer all my questions this trip, I'm not planning on forgiving you or being friends again but I need to know."

Spencer looked at Ashley wondering what questions she had and if Spencer was ready to answer them. Ashley must have seen the hesitation in eyes "you don't have a choice, after everything you put me through you owe me this."

Spencer nodded agreeing that she did owe Ashley something "we will talk; I will explain whatever it is you need to know." After arranging the details for the trip Ashley headed home needing to have time to herself before leaving on what she knew was going to be an emotionally straining trip.