Hey guys, I wanted to first thank you for all the comment. I like to please my readers so I tweaked the ending a little bit, but I think you'll be pleased with it. Secondly, I apologize for not posting as frequently as I said I would. My life has those weeks that are just so stressful and I need time to decompress. Thirdly, the winter holidays are right around the corner, which works perfectly, because I have a XMAS chapter for you and a someone New Year's Eve. I guess I better get those up soon before it's too late, then you got to wait another year. Just kidding. Anyways this chapter is more focused on Spencer and her family. I hope you enjoy. Let me know if you like, dislike, etc. Love getting to read your comments! Happy December!

Chapter 20

I ran my fingers through Spencer's blonde locks. She was sweetly sleeping on my arm and was curled up against my side. She stirred slightly, but continued sleeping. After I went to the hospital, Spencer didn't want to go home, or be in the house per say, and my parents had left for the night, and they pretty chill with everything, so Spencer came over. We lay in bed talking until Spencer fell asleep, but I couldn't. She told me about Glen, and that's all that I can think about right now.

Glen joined the army, straight out of high school, because he didn't want to be bound in the education life, so the military seemed like the perfect fit for him. I think it was about a year ago, he was on his fourth tour when his Hummer was hit by an IED. Spencer didn't go into much detail, all she told me was that he pulled two of his friends out of the Hummer, and got them to safety before he collapsed. They were able to get him to a hospital and stabilize him, then they shipped him back to the U.S. Spencer remembered the day like it was yesterday. She had just gotten home from practice, when there was a knock on her door, and an Army solider stood in front of her and told her everything before driving her to the hospital. The doctors were surprised that Glen was able to pull his two friends out, because he had several cranial bleeding. It was a surprise that he didn't die right then and there, but Glen is a strong person. He was a Carlin. They've put him in a medically induced coma for now, and he is slowly starting respond to some of the test, so there is hope that he will come back.

I heard a small knocking on my door.

"Come in," I whispered and Sid's tiny figure entered the room. I held my finger up to lips to tell him to keep quite, because Spencer was still sleeping.

"Hey bud," I whispered as he approached the side of my bed, "what's up?"

"Nothing, mom just wanted me to check on you," he said looking at Spencer, "don't worry, I won't tell mom."

"Thanks," I said giving him a smile.

"Is Spencer okay?"

"Yeah, she just had a rough night last night," I said turning to look at Spencer.

"You're a good person Ashley, Spencer and I are lucky to have you," he said wrapping his arms around me.

"I'll always be here for you Sid, you're my anchor," I said giving him a kiss on the head before he slowly retreated out of the room. I could hear my parents downstairs. They must have gotten back from their movie or wherever they went.

I endless thought circled my head until I could feel my eyelids slowly starting to become heavier and heavier. Before I knew it, my mind drifted off to sleep.

I rolled over and felt a cold empty spot next to me on the bed. My eyelids shot open. I was alone in my room. For a minute I thought that I might have been dreaming about Spencer being here last night, but I wasn't when I noticed that there was a note on my nightstand.

Hey Beautiful,

I didn't want to wake you. You looked so peacefully. Thanks for last night; I really needed it. Another reason why I love you! Sorry for running out without saying goodbye or even good morning, but I had to go to breakfast with the grandparents. I'll call you later today. Love you!

Spencer

I reread the notice a few more time, each time my smile getting wider and wider. I'm falling so madly in love with this girl. I honestly couldn't imagine begin with anyone else. Spencer makes me feel like myself.

I hauled myself out of bed and changed into a new set of clothes, considering I was still wearing my clothes from last night. The smell of eggs and bacon hit me when I got downstairs. My dad was flipping the bacon on the pan, while singing some song.

"Hey dad," I said giving him a hug.

"Hey sweetie! Sleep well?" he asked.

"Yup, did you guys have fun last night?"

"Yeah, your mom showed me around the city, and then we took Sid to see a movie," he said licking the bacon grease off his fingers.

I walked into the living room, where my brother was watching the morning cartoons. He was watching a TV show, about a boy with an arrow on his head, who could bend air. It's actually a really interesting show, although I was completely lost.

"Hey, thanks for not telling mom last night," I said, "We really appreciate it."

"No problem Ashley, anything for my big sis," he said with his eyes still on the TV screen.

"You're the best," I said giving him a hug before rejoining my parents the kitchen.

"So what's on the schedule today?" I asked snatching a piece of bacon.

"Well your father and I are going to pick up Nana and Gramps from the airport at noon, and then probably take them for lunch in the city, and then bring them home. So if you could watch Sid today that would be great."

"Sure thing!" I said grabbing another piece of bacon, before my dad gave me a small slap on the hand.

"Anything else?"

"Oh and we are going to the Carlin's Christmas party," my mom said. I paused midway through my bite of bacon; Spencer was having a Christmas party. I wonder why she never told me.

"Okay sweet," I said sitting down at the table.

We sat down and eat our breakfast silently. I loved when my dad cooked breakfast, because it would literally be the best breakfast that you would ever eat. After we ate breakfast, my parents quickly got ready and left for the airport.

"So Sid, anything you want to do today?" I asked plopping down on the couch next to him.

"Shopping!" he said happily, "I need to get Christmas gifts."

"Shopping?"

"Can we Ashley, please!"

"Do you have money to buy these gifts?"

"Mom gave me some before she left," he said hopefully.

"Alright, go get dressed," I said pushing him off the couch. He jumped happily on the ground and ran to his room. I realized that I didn't have much time to get ready either. I ran up the stair and quickly hopped in the shower. I was out in ten minutes and put on jeans and sweater. Sid was already down stair with his jacket and everything on. Damn, that little guy was speedy.

"Ready to go?" I asked grabbing my keys. He nodded and we headed out to my car. I noticed that there were more cars than usually in Spencer's driveway, maybe relatives. We drove into the city, and went to the closest mall that we could think of. As soon as I parked the car Sid hopped out of the car and started to head towards the mall. I was able to catch up with him by the time he got to the door.

It had been a few hours and Sid had already bought twice as many gifts as I did. He got one for my parents, grandparents, Noah, and few other people he wouldn't name. I had only covered my parents and grandparents. I still need to get something for Spencer, and Emily since she was coming to the Christmas party, and Sid. I made my way over the video game aisle as Sid wandered off. Most people are shocked when I say I just let Sid wandered, but his not like others, he always returned to the last place that we met. So I didn't have to worry too much about him. I was able to find him a nice 'appropriate' video game that my mother would approve of. I got Emily a CD of her favorite band, and scored some tickets off my dad, and some lacrosse socks, since I stole hers last year.

"Ashley, did you get Spencer something yet," he asked as we ate lunch in the food court.

"No yet, I'm still not sure what to get her," I said taking a sip of my water.

"Well what does she like?"

"Anything, anything that you get her she would love, except maybe food."

"Okay well then chocolate is off the list, what about jewelry?"

"She doesn't wearing jewelry a lot, only bracelets, and sometimes earrings," I said trying to think of ideas.

"We could go look at some bracelets, maybe you can get an idea from that," he suggested.

"Where did you learn to be so smart?" I asked ruffling his hair.

"I guess I was just born a smart child," he laughed as he pulled me towards the jewelry shops.

"Wait, you got Spencer a gift, what did you get her?" I asked, hoping to try and get an idea.

"That's for me to know, and you to find out," he said.

We made our way through the first shop, and I found nothing that I liked. It took us six jewelry shops, before we got to the nice stuff. I gazed into the glass case, and scanned the bracelets. My eyes stopped when I found one that I like. I pointed it out to one of the store clerks.

"What do you think?" I asked holding it up to Sid.

"I like that, but it's a little plain. It needs something to perk it up," he said spinning the bracelet between his fingers.

"Excuse me?" I asked the clerk, "Do you do engravings?"

"Sure do," he said, "would you like to engrave the bracelet?"

I nodded and he handed me a slip of paper. I thought about what I was going to write, until I figured out the perfect thing. I jotted it down and handed it to the clerk. He took it in the back and started to engrave it, while the cashier checked it out.

"What did you engrave?" Sid asked as we waited.

"That's for me to know and you to find out," I said taking the box from the clerk.

"Touché my friend," he said as we exited the store.

By the time we got back to the house, my parents' car was in the driveway. Sid and I carefully carried our bags into the house.

"There are my grandchildren," I heard my Nana say from the living room.

"Did you two have fun?" my mom asked me.

"Yeah, just doing a little last minute shopping," I said putting my bags on the stairs and joining the rest of the family in the living room.

"Hey Nana," Sid said giving both of them a hug. Way to be a suck up Sid. I gave both of them a hug, because I couldn't be that child that just says hi, and Sid just set the standards pretty high for my liking.

"So tell me about this new girl," Nana said. I almost choked on my water. My mother must have spilled the beans, because when I gave her the death look she gave me the 'I'm sorry I couldn't help it' look.

"Her name's Spencer," I said, "you'll be able to meet her when we go to the Christmas party."

"I look forward to it," she said.

I was a little worried for Spencer, because my Nana was very…protective. It took her a year to warm up to Madison, and after Madison she was so protective over me. I'm a little afraid that it might turn into another interrogation, which wouldn't be good, because my Nana doesn't give people a break.

"So we saw your commitment to UNC," Gramps said, "we got you a little something, since we weren't able to be there."

They handed me a box that was wrapped. I wasn't sure if I should open it, until he handed me a pair of scissors. I cut off the ribbon and unwrapped the box. Inside my grandparents had gotten me a classic Tarheel Lacrosse Sweatshirt, with my name on the back. My grandparents weren't the richest of people, but they were the most thoughtful.

"Thanks Nana, Gramps, I love it so much," I said taking off my sweating and replacing it with the UNC one. It was so warm and soft.

"Well we'll let you two get back to your lives," they said.

I took Sid up to my room and grabbed the wrapping paper. I let him choose the music that we blasted from my speakers. We stayed up there wrapping presents and eventually we became extremely unproductive. Sid ended up doing my hair with scraps of ribbon.

"Which one is Spencer's?" I asked looking at his gifts.

"This one," he said holding up a box shaped gift. I held it in my hands and tried to figure out what it was, but I couldn't. I didn't want to risk shaking it, because you never know, it could be something like delicate.

"So I'm going to have to wait until Christmas until I find out what you go her?"

"Yup," he said giving me a toothy smile.

"You suck," I said handing the gift back to him.

We decided to watch TV, until my parents called us down for dinner. My grandparents 'interrogated' us more. My Nana tried to learn more about Spencer, but I tried not to tell her too much, in case anything that I told her she took in the wrong way. I figured that Spencer would start out with a clean slate. Eventually they moved off of me and onto Sid. I love my grandparents, I really do, but sometimes they can be a little too much. Luckily they were only staying for a few days.

My parents eventually took them out to one of the famous desert places in town. I told them that I had other plans, so they took Sid instead. I didn't actually have plans, but Spencer said that she would call, and I didn't want them to be here when she did in case anything happened.

Sid's POV

I sat in between Nana and Gramps. I was a little bumped that Ashley wasn't coming. Not that I don't like my grandparents, it's just now all the focus is on me. But I get it; Ashley probably wanted a little time to herself. She's probably warning Spencer about the grandparents. I would too if I was dating someone, but I'm too young for that. As for Spencer, I absolutely love her. She's so amazing and she treats Ashley like an angel and vise versa. I don't think that I have ever seen Ashley so happy. Ever since Madison died, I didn't think that Ashley would ever be happy again, but look at her now. She comes down every morning with a smile.

"So Sid tell me about Spencer," my Nana asked me.

"I don't know much about her, I haven't talked to her a lot," I lied.

"The basics," she pushed.

"She and Ashley are co-captains on the lacrosse team at King, I think that that was were they met each other," I said. Another lie.

"So Spencer play lacrosse…"

"Yeah, they went to All-Stars together."

"Interesting…how long have they been dating?"

"They had their anniversary a few weeks ago."

"They've been dating for a year and nobody has told me!" my Nana said exploding. Oh, shouldn't have said that. Crap. My Nana turned to Paula and started asking her all these questions. Like about, you know what. As far as I know they haven't done it or at least Ashley hasn't told me that they have done it. But for all I know they could have. Wait, I'm seven; I shouldn't know these things!

"Mom, relax," my mom, said, "Ashley is a very responsible adult. You don't have to worry about her."

Well that shut my Nana up for a little while.

Ashley's POV

I went up to my room and turned on the TV. I lay there for a few minutes before my phone started to ring.

"Hey beautiful," I heard Spencer's voice through the phone.

"Right back at ya," I said smiling.

"Thanks for last night, I really need it."

"I'm here for you whenever you need me. I always will be."

"You're so loveable."

"So how was your day?" I asked laying down on the bed.

"Oh so so, had breakfast with my grandparents, they're staying with us for a little while. I went a finished the last of my Christmas shopping, and now I get to talk to my amazing girlfriend. So how was your day?"

"Well I was quite sad to wake up and find that my girlfriend wasn't next to me, but the note cheered me up. My parents picked up my grandparents this afternoon; they're also staying with us for a while. Sid and I finished our Christmas shopping as well, and my grandmother wants to meet you."

"You say that like it's a bad thing," she said.

"I'm just going to warn you now, my grandmother is very protective, and she's not going to go easy on you."

"Well I guess we're even then, with the interrogations," she laughed.

"I guess we are," I said returning a laugh.

"So are you coming to the Christmas Party?" she asked.

"Of course I am."

"This might just be one of the best Christmases of my life."

Peace, have a great rest of your week! Comment! Love you all, thanks for reading!