South of Nowhere 1. Prologue: Death Of A Heart

_**--A Killer's Funeral--  
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**Rating: ****T for later content**

**Author: ****Ozzi (.bleed.out.my.heart.)**

_**A/N:**** Mmkay! This is the sequel to "Fragile, But Strong Enough". I'm currently writing the first chapter, so be patient. For now, here is the prologue! Thanks to anyone and everyone who reviewed and/or read my first story! Love you guys!**_

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**Prologue: Death of a Heart**

"Nobody ever really understood him," Spencer said, sorrow evident in her tone, "and that was our mistake. We never took the time to know him. To love him, even. He felt alone, and I can't even begin to think of how he felt every day, knowing that no one really cared."

She paused, taking a look at the people attending her brother's funeral. Her mom, of course, her dad, and her adopted brother, Clay were all there. So were Ashley, and Aiden.

"I wish it would've been different. I wish we had had more time to set things right, before the disastrous turn his life took. Now it's too late for all of us, but especially for him. I love you, Glen. I just wish you could've heard it."

She walked forward, done with her speech, and threw a blood-red rose onto the black casket that lay before her. A silent tear escaped as she walked back to her girlfriend's side, and took her hand.

Life was different now, and would always be. It was just going to be difficult to get used to, but nobody knew just how difficult it would truly be…


	2. Tainted

_**A/N:**** So here's the first chapter! I'm sooo sorry that it took me so long to post this, my internet was being retarded. Anyway, hope you enjoy! Remember to leave me some comments so I know how you feel about it!**_

_**BTW! I've already written most of the story, but it's up to you guys on whether I continue with it or not!****  
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_**Chapter One: Tainted**_

_It's been almost 7 months since Glen's funeral, but I'll never forget that day or the events that lead up to it. Neither will Ashley, or Aiden. _

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"Spence!" Ashley yelled as she threw the keys onto the little table situated near the front door.

"Spencer?" she questioned into the seemingly empty apartment. She set her bag upon the couch, and walked into their bedroom to see Spencer curled up, sleeping.

_That's all she ever really does anymore…_

She thought to herself as she walked quietly up to the side of the bed, lowering herself careful not to wake the sleeping blonde. Ashley ran her fingers down the side of the blonde's face.

_She looks so tired…_

Sadness swept over her as she realized that this had been the way she looked since the day after the funeral. It destroyed her, the whole thing. Nobody, but Ashley, seemed to realize that she was dying inside from the pain she believes to have caused her brother.

She seemed to have an overbearing guilt, convincing herself that she doesn't deserve to be loved if he couldn't. Ashley was heartbroken, not knowing how to handle the situation without possibly making everything worse, and that was the last thing she wanted to happen.

Two months after Glen's funeral, the girls graduated from high school. Spencer was happy, if only for a moment, and during that moment Ashley noticed the first genuine smile she had seen in months, and decided to ask Spencer to move in with her. Spencer, obviously, agreed to the proposition, and now, here they are.

Shortly after they found an apartment together, Raife offered to pay for furnishings for their new home and to handle the bills and such, encouraging his daughter's love. Ashley found a job, working as a manager of a record store called Race Notes. She loved it almost as much as she loved Spencer.

Spencer had fallen into a deep depression over the following months of their moving in together, only seeming to have time to sleep or cry. Hardly ever eating, Ashley had to shove food in her face and force her to eat something. When Ashley asked her why she felt this way, she said she didn't know, but Ashley, knowing better than that, didn't believe her at all.

She wanted so badly to help Spencer, but didn't know how, and ended up just leaving her alone, only asking when she was hungry.

"Spencer," Ashley whispered softly as she gently shook Spencer's shoulder.

"Spence, honey, you need to get some food, so wake up." She said, her voice back to normal octaves.

Spencer didn't move. Ashley began to panic, immediately pressing her fingers to the girl's throat, checking for her pulse. It was there, but it was slow, meaning she was unconscious.

"Spencer!" Ashley practically yelled.

Spencer didn't budge. Looking over to the nightstand, Ashley picked up a bottle of pills she hadn't noticed were sitting there. They were sleeping pills.

She swore loudly as she ran for the phone, immediately dialing 911.

"Hello? Hello? Yeah, my name is Ashley Davies and I think my girlfriend has just overdosed on sleeping pills, and I need an ambulance right now…"


	3. Out of Touch

_**Chapter Two: Out Of Touch**_

**At the Hospital**

"We have an OD!" the EMT yelled as he wheeled Spencer's gurney into the ER bay doors, pushing her into the hands of the doctors. Ashley jumped out of the back of the ambulance and ran up to the side of the gurney, taking Spencer's hand in her own.

The doctors began speaking to each other, but Ashley had no idea what they were saying. When they arrived at the OR doors, they stopped Ashley from moving any further, assuring her that Spencer was in capable hands.

She walked off into the waiting room. She stared around at all the anxious waiting families and loved ones waiting for the decision on a friend's fate. She decided she wanted to sit alone for a bit, and walked outside to sit on a bench. Without knowing what she was doing, she promptly broke down, and began to sob uncontrollably.

What happened to her love? Where did she go, and who was this new person that didn't seem to want to live any longer? This wasn't her Spencer. No, her Spencer would be smiling brightly and laughing at nothing in particular. Not this-this monster who slept all of the time not caring about what the consequences would be.

"Ms. Davies?" she heard a voice behind her call.

Ashley swiped the tears from her face, and turned around to face who had called her name.

"Ms. Davies?" Ashley nodded, and followed the nurse back into the hospital.

"We had to pump her stomach to attain all of the pills she ingested. Luckily, you caught her before they all dissolved, so we were able to get most of them out. Some of the medicine is still in her bloodstream, but very little of it is left," the nurse said as they turned a corner, "she will be tired for a while, and when she wakes up she'll be very hungry."

The nurse held open the door to Spencer's room, indicating that Ashley could walk in to see her now.

"Thank you." Ashley said softly. The nurse nodded slightly and shut the door to give the girls some privacy.

"What happened to you?" she asked the sleeping blonde as she tucked some hair behind her ear. A lone tear slid down her cheek as she stared at the girl. She was so frail, so weak. She was skinny, and had bags under her eyes from the lack of sleep she seemed to get.

Ashley knew that she hardly slept, waking in the middle of the night yelling Glen's name and thrashing, only calming down when Ashley rolled over and whispered that everything was going to be just fine.

This wasn't fair for Spencer. It shouldn't be happening to her at all, but it was and there was no easy way to stop it.

Deciding that she could wait until morning to pester her girlfriend with questions about how stupid she was, she pulled the lone chair up to the side of the bed. She kissed Spencer on the forehead, and clutched her hand before sitting in the chair and drifting off to sleep.

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"Ash?" a soft male voice asked from the doorjamb. Ashley stirred, and her eyes slowly slid open to reveal the person who had spoken to her.

"Hey Aiden." She said groggily, while wiping the sleep from her eyes unsuccessfully. He smiled and walked over to the bedside to check Spencer's face.

"She's not doing so well, is she?" he asked unnecessarily, already knowing the answer.

Ashley looked sorrowfully toward Spencer's pale face. She remembered when there used to be a smile there. She remembered when the happiness showed in a glow through her eyes, and spread to every possible fiber of her being as well as Ashley's in the process.

"Where did you go?" she whispered, on the last thread of her hope.

Spencer stirred slightly, but did not wake up from her slumber. Aiden ran a hand through his hair, and then found another chair hidden behind the door to the bathroom. He dragged it out, and placed it on the other side of the hospital bed, taking hold of Spencer's other hand.

"She'll get through this, Ash." He said, determined to make it true. A tear trickled down his cheek as he squeezed Spencer's hand tightly.

"I really hope so, Aiden. I really do." She told him sadly.

He nodded, and folded his arms and rested his chin on them. Ashley layed her head on the back of her chair, and both drifted off into a frightful and hopeful sleep.

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**Yeah, I'm trying to bring Aiden into the storyline a little more in this particular story. So, click that little button and gimme a review! 3 **


	4. Never Resting Vengeance

**_Chapter Three: Never Resting Vengeance_**

**Somewhere Unknown**

A man paced around a small room as he thought to him self. His plan had failed when Glen Carlin had been murdered, and now he had no plan. He hadn't thought, at the time, that he would need a "Plan B".

He would need to devise a new plan, a new way to get the revenge he wanted against the embodiment of his hatred. She needed to be eliminated, and it had to be soon. He remembered clearly the day he believed to be her last as he spoke with the one he helped to escape…

"_Glen." He said, standing up out of habit to look into Glen's eyes. He stared at him for a moment before sitting back down. "Sit." He instructed Glen, the prisoner had a smug look on his face. He wanted to get this over with, seeing as he couldn't stand the cocky son of a bitch, even though he was in shackles. "What've you got?" Glen asked him. He gave a small smile, before lifting a briefcase that was sitting at his side. _

_Slamming the briefcase upon the small square table that separated them, he waved the guard out of the room. He noticed as a shocked sort of look surfaced, but was replaced with greed just as quickly. "Glen, how nice to see you again. I can see that prison is treating you well." He gestured to Glen's shaggy beard, dirty face, and sodden clothing. Glen ignored him. "What do you have?" he asked, finally becoming impatient. _

_He smiled once more before opening the case and handing him a manila folder. Glen stared at the folder in front of him. "What the fuck is this?" Glen asked, getting even more irritated. "Temper, temper, Mr. Carlin. You should really keep that in check." He motioned toward the folder, "Open it and see." Glen opened the folder with difficulty due to his shackles, but got it open nonetheless. He watched as the convict grinned at the information layed in front of him._

"_How did you get this?" Glen asked. He took the folder back, placed it in his briefcase, and shut it tight. "I have my ways. I'll be back in three days. Get ready." He said to Glen as he left the small room. He nodded to the guard as he walked down the dingy corridor to the outside of the building, a smile playing on his face. His plan was finally coming to fruition. In just three days time, Glen would be broken out of prison, and his target would be dead._

He slammed his fist into the concrete wall, effectively bruising his knuckles. Ignoring the pain, he withdrew his hand and paced around the room once more, attempting to concoct a last minute plan.

That's when it hit him.

She was the key. She was it. She was the one that would lead to the other's downfall. He would manipulate and scheme around her to get what he wanted. He would do it, and no one would stop him.

He smiled at his brilliant plan. It would start, tonight.

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"Wh-what?" Ashley stuttered as a soft hand landed upon her shoulder, shaking her gently.

"Ashley, I need to talk to you, sweetheart." Paula said, helping the exhausted girl out of 'her' chair. She followed Paula into the hallway, and stopped when she did. Paula whirled around, a sad yet frustrated look was upon her face.

"Ashley," she began, a worried tone evident in her voice, "what is going on?"

She was asking about Spencer, that wasn't very hard to figure out. Ashley sighed, not too sure on how to answer the question herself. So she settled with the truth,

"I don't know." She said, her eyes rimmed with tears that threatened to spill.

Paula grabbed her into a hug and held tightly.

"She'll be alright. You need to talk to her when she wakes up. Get some answers, okay? We need to do all we can to save her right now, or we'll all lose her forever." Paula smiled sadly at Ashley as she released her from her grasp.

"Save our girl, okay?" she asked tearfully.

Ashley could only nod. Paula smiled, and turned around, her white doctor's coat flapping behind her as she walked down the hall and away from Ashley.

Ashley took a deep breath, attempting to regain her composure before going back into Spencer's room, not wanting Aiden to see her like this, or Spencer if she was awake yet. Taking one last deep breath, she entered the room.

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"Spencer?" Aiden asked, unsure of whether she was really awake or not. She brought her hand up to her eyes, shielding them from the brightness outside.

She groaned as she attempted to sit up, deciding against it and flopping down onto her pillows. She slowly maneuvered herself so that she could see who was asking her questions.

"Hmm?" she asked softly. Aiden smiled a little, reaching out to grasp her hand once more.

"Hey you." He said sweetly.

"Ashley?" she asked quietly. Looking around the room.

"Outside. She'll be back soon enough." Aiden patted her hand as he scooted his chair back up to the side of the bed to speak more easily.

"You overdosed, Spence." He said grimly.

She stared at him for a moment before nodding slowly, acknowledging that she knew what she had done.

"What's happened to you? Where did the real Spencer go, because I sure as Hell won't believe that his is my best friend, or my best friend's love. This isn't you Spencer. Where is she?" Aiden asked, desperate for some answers.

By now, Spencer's eyes had started tearing, knowing that everything he was asking was perfectly adhere-able to her latest predicament. She turned her face away, shutting her eyes, searching for an answer she could tell him.

"She died." She said, almost too quiet for Aiden to hear.

"No," he said, angry she would say that, "no she hasn't. She left, and she's coming back. She has to come back, because she has to realize that without her, everyone's world is falling apart."

He was crying now, as was she. She turned her head back toward him, squeezing his hand.

"Do you want to know why I moved?" she wiped tears from her neck and cheeks.

He nodded, and squeezed her hand, assuring her that it was safe for her to tell him whatever she needed to get out.

"It all started two years ago, when my life fell apart at the seams…"


	5. Peering Through

**_Chapter Four: Peering Through_**

**Spencer's Hospital Room**

Aiden sat there, thinking over everything that Spencer had just confessed and confided to him. He had to promise never to relay any of the thing she said to anyone else, under no circumstances was he allowed to speak a word of it.

He scratched his chin, and turned to her in understanding, trying to formulate a plan. He grasped her hand once again, making her attention turn back to his bright face.

"Why now?" he asked simply.

"Because now that Glen is gone, I'm the only one left."

He nodded once more, assessing the information that was now piled into his brain. Whatever they were going to do, they had to do soon, because at this rate, Spencer wouldn't be around for very long.

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**Minutes earlier**

As Ashley was two steps away from Spencer's door, she heard Aiden's voice, as well as Spencer's…

"Spencer?" Aiden asked, unsure of whether she was really awake or not. She brought her hand up to her eyes, shielding them from the brightness outside.

She groaned as she attempted to sit up, deciding against it and flopping down onto her pillows. She slowly maneuvered herself so that she could see who was asking her questions.

"Hmm?" she asked softly. Aiden smiled a little, reaching out to grasp her hand once more.

"Hey you." He said sweetly.

"Ashley?" she asked quietly.

"Outside. She'll be back soon enough." Aiden said to her. Ashley heard his chair scrape against the floor as he scooted it nearer to the sick blonde.

"You overdosed, Spence." He said grimly.

A silence fell over, Ashley assumed Spencer had answered without words this time, realizing she must've nodded instead of saying it aloud.

"What's happened to you? Where did the real Spencer go, because I sure as Hell won't believe that his is my best friend, or my other best friend's love. This isn't you Spencer. Where is she?" Aiden asked, desperate for some answers.

Another long pause. She was curious as to what Spencer was saying, or rather, gesturing.

"She died." She said, almost too quiet for Aiden to hear.

Ashley's eyes brimmed with tears once more at the sound of pain in her voice.

"No," he said, he was angry now, "no she hasn't. She left, and she's coming back. She has to come back, because she has to realize that without her, everyone's world is falling apart."

Ashley heard a soft sob escape from his throat. She covered her mouth as her own sobbing began to burst out of it's hold.

"Do you want to know why I moved?"

Ashley assumed Aiden had nodded because Spencer began her story…


	6. Her Truth, His Understanding

_**A/N:**** Here it is! Spencer's story. I know I dragged it out, but this chapter should be worth the wait I think. **_

_**PUH-LEEZE LEAVE A COMMENT:D****  
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_**Chapter Five: Her Truth, His Understanding**_

**Spencer's Hospital Room**

"It all started two years ago, when my life fell apart at the seams. Glen was 17, and I was only 16," she began, finally able to lift herself into a sitting position, "we were happy, me in my second year of high school, and he was in his third. Everything was great, or at least that's what I thought…"

Spencer trailed off as her mind wandered as she remembered the event that changed her family's lives forever. Aiden squeezed her hand, breaking her out of her reverie.

"What happened, Spence?" Aiden asked softly.

She stared at the white wall in front of her, recalling the events of nights past.

"Glen and I were walking home after a party. I was a little buzzed, but not drunk. Glen was drunk. He couldn't drive and I didn't have my license, so I decided to leave the car at the street where the party was being held," she looked down and played with the hand that Aiden wasn't holding, "and Glen was raving about how no one in the family valued him, or really loved him. I tuned him out, he had been ranting for weeks like that."

A tear fell at the memory. She quickly regained her composure once more.

"Anyway, we took a turn into a shady part of the neighborhood, it was a shortcut to our own house. Glen was still talking, rather loudly, when I heard yelling come from a building nearby. Being as curious as I am, I walked over to where I heard the noises, a rundown building, unsuitable for anyone to live in.

"Glen was yelling at me from behind. I turned around and told him to shut-up. I think he was a little dumbfounded, because he actually did shut-up. I pressed myself against the side of the building, trying to hear the yelling voices again. I couldn't hear anything but a faint screaming in the back.

"I told Glen to stay at the front, but in a huff, he waltzed past me and to the back of the building. I followed him, pissed off. I stopped when I saw that he was staring into one of the windows that lead into what I guessed was supposed to be the kitchen. His eyes were wide, he look sobered up. I followed his gaze to the interior of the building," Spencer shivered at the memories that were suddenly flooding through her brain, as if someone had released the gate that held them back.

"What we saw, what we witnessed, changed everything for us," she stared Aiden in the eyes, "a man took a knife from a wooden block on the counter. One of the only things that was left in there really. It was rusted, but the man didn't seem to care because the next thing we knew, he had plunged it into the heart of someone we couldn't see.

"I remember screaming at the top of my lungs. The guy turned around and saw Glen and I standing outside the window. I got a good look at his face."

Spencer went into detail about the way the man looked. Tall, dark hair, leather jacked, dark blue jeans, sharp green eyes, and a scar on his neck. The lighting seemed to be the only thing that worked in that dingy place.

"I grabbed Glen by the sleeve, and ran home. As soon as I got inside, I dialed 911."

She then went on to explain the statements she had to give to the police officers, and the one's that Glen had said as well. How, when they caught the man responsible, they both were asked to testify against him.

"We both agreed to testify. The man caught was Alaric DuPonte, a wealthy landowner in Columbus, the richest man in Ohio according to the newscasts. He hired the toughest lawyer in the state. As Glen and I took the bench, he smirked at us, recognizing that we were the ones who witnessed his crime.

"In short, Alaric won the case, due to lack of evidence. The police couldn't recover the knife that we had told them we saw. Glen lost it. He was furious, saying that he was a failure, and that no one cared," another tear fell, "he disappeared one day after the verdict came in."

Aiden nodded, assuring her it was okay to continue with her tale.

"My parents then took me and Clay, and we moved out here. Mom was offered a job here," she gestured to the room, meaning the hospital, "and they moved us out here first chance they had to try and keep us safe from Alaric.

"That was about a year ago. What we hadn't realized, was that Glen had followed us out here. He showed up at the door one night while mom and dad were both home. He came in, and passed out in the foyer. He was high on cocaine. My parents hauled him off to a psychological center, to have him checked out.

"They told us that he was in a deep depression that he would never come out of, and that he displayed very violent tendencies. Glen escaped the same night. We didn't hear from him until we saw the trial on TV.

"He looked so lost. I felt so saddened by the whole thing. That he had to resort to that to get attention. I tried to forget about him, but I couldn't. I pretended that I was okay, when I was really falling apart.

"Then I met Ashley, and my world turned around. I was finally getting to be happy again," she smiled at the thought, but it fell into a frown, "until Glen escaped from prison."

Spencer paused a moment, taking a deep breath so that she could finish her story.

"The threats toward Ashley, and her reaction to his escape tore me apart. I couldn't bear to see her in such pain and fear all of the time. I promised myself that I would protect her against him, no matter what happened to me.

"When he attacked us in her house, I had every intention of killing him, but I just couldn't. I couldn't bring myself to kill him, because I felt that deep down, the reason he was acting like this was all my fault. That somehow I caused all his pain single-handedly. I know now that it wasn't true, but at the time, I felt it was.

"I tried to stay calm as I held the gun to his forehead, knowing that I was bluffing and he probably wasn't. Then you came," she squeezed his hand, "and saved me."

Aiden recalled the events of that night all those months ago.

"Then Alaric appeared," she continued, "at the funeral. He was standing behind a mausoleum in a distant part of the graveyard, but I saw the eyes, and I knew instantly that it was him."

"What about the pills?" Aiden asked, careful not to make her emotionally unstable. The last thing she needed right now was an emotional breakdown. Or any kind of breakdown for that matter.

"The pills." She laughed bitterly.

"Yeah, the pills. What was that about?" he asked quietly.

"Nightmares. Monsters with green eyes, and blonde-haired murderers."

Aiden sighed, frustrated that he couldn't help her in any way.

"I just wanted them to go away." She finally let the tears fall, full force.

Aiden got up from his chair, and gathered her into a hug. She buried her face into his neck and cried until she fell asleep.

Ashley quietly stepped into the room, just as Aiden was laying her back down. He set her down carefully, and walked over to Ashley's side.

"You heard all of that, didn't you?" she nodded in response.

He placed his hand on her shoulder as a comforting gesture.

"Tell her you know," he whispered, "and make sure she sees that you're not leaving."

Ashley nodded, and he walked out of the door, leaving Ashley and a sleeping Spencer alone. Ashley sat in her chair, taking a hold of Spencer's hand once more, and falling asleep with a fitful mind, and a heavy heart.


	7. A Plan For Destruction

**_Chapter Six: A Plan For Destruction_**

**Spencer's Hospital Room**

"_I'm all out of faith, and this is how I feel. I'm cold and I am shamed, lying naked on the floor. Illusion never changed into something real, I'm wide awake and I can see the perfect sky is torn. You're a little late, I'm already torn…_" Ashley sang quietly.

She inhaled deeply, and was particularly startled when a soft voice was heard behind her.

"That's a great song." Spencer smiled.

Ashley returned her smile as she walked back to the side of the bed.

"You get to go home today." She told the blonde.

Spencer nodded happily, than looked at Ashley seriously for a moment.

"You heard everything." It wasn't a question.

"How did you know?"

"Shadow." She said simply.

Ashley nodded in understanding.

"Why didn't you ever tell me?"

Spencer sighed.

"I didn't want it to be real again. I thought that if I ignored it long enough, I would forget. You were having problems with Glen, and I didn't want you to have to bear the burden of trying to save my life while I was trying to save yours."

Ashley smiled as she leaned in to kiss the blonde.

"Never be afraid to say something, especially to me."

"Okay."

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**Somewhere Unknown**

Alaric paced as he gathered his thoughts to formulate one plausible scheme to eliminate his target. He knew when how he was going to do it, he just didn't know how to initiate the whole thing, and how to get his pawn into her life.

It would have to be soon, and he knew that.

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**Davies/Carlin Residence**

"Careful, I know you have a killer headache right now." Ashley cautioned as she helped Spencer into their apartment. She immediately went for their bedroom, collapsing in a heap on top of the comforter.

"Babe, that works much better," she said pulling out the comforter, "if you sleep underneath it."

Spencer smiled, and drifted off into a shallow sleep.

Ashley kissed her forehead and walked into the kitchen to make herself some coffee. She was going to find out more about this Alaric DuPonte, and where he was, because if it was the last thing she did, she would keep her Spencer safe. No matter the price.

…**Next Morning…**

Spencer stretched, still sore, as her eyes pried themselves open, only to be met with the harsh sunlight. Ashley still lay asleep beside her, so as carefully as she could, she lifted herself up and into the kitchen. She was ravenous.

Moving things around in the fridge, Spencer couldn't decide what exactly it was that she was craving.

"Want some food?" a soft voice asked from the doorjamb.

Spencer nodded vigorously, eliciting a low giggle from her counterpart. Ashley strode up and kissed Spencer good morning and set to work on making them breakfast. Ashley thought to herself as she scooted the eggs across the pan. She had done some research late into the night over Alaric DuPonte.

Alaric was a huge landowner in Northern Ohio, the area where Spencer grew up. She researched him, and found out some curious things. His Environmental Specialist for the building of his new warehouses or factories on his property had mysteriously disappeared after she denied a space that had been layed out to build a new warehouse in.

The Environmentalist, Charlie Jacobs, was never found. No evidence of suicide, or murder. The police suspected a runaway, and after 8 years missing, they legally claimed her to be dead, issuing a death certificate to her family.

Weeks later, her body was found in a rundown neighborhood in Findlay, where, Ashley had learned, Spencer grew up. Ashley was convinced that it was the murder Spencer and Glen witnessed that night. The one that changed their lives.

Ashley finished making their food, and set it on the table, only to have half of it already gone.

"Wow, that nurse wasn't lying." Ashley observed with amusement.

Spencer, with her mouth full of bacon and eggs, said:

"Wif nurf?"

What she meant to say was:

"What nurse?"

Fortunately, Ashley spoke 'Spencer-ese'.

"The one who lead me to your room after the ambulance wheeled you in."

Spencer shook her head knowing who Ashley was speaking of. Ashley laughed as Spencer shoveled more food into her, what Ashley was referring to it as, her 'black hole'.

After breakfast, Ashley called her boss, telling him that she'd be back at work tomorrow. He told her it was alright, so she suggested a walk in the park due to the wonderful weather outside.

So Spencer and Ashley headed out to the park, hand-in-hand, Ashley preparing to tell Spencer her theory about Alaric DuPonte, not quite knowing how to say it…

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**Mmkay, the credits are as follows:**

**The song that Ashley sings in the beginning is: "Torn" by Natalie Imbruglia.**

**All lyrics and rights belong to Ms. Imbruglia and her record company, not me:D**


	8. Unexpected Information

**_A/N:__ I am so sorry I haven't updated in forever. My muse decided she wanted a vacation, and until she gets back, this is all I have to offer to you. My sincerest apologies, because I know it's short, and probably sucks, but humor me, and please leave me a comment!__  
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**_Chapter Seven: Unexpected Information_**

**City Park**

"So, Spence…" Ashley began while staring at their entwined fingers.

They were halfway through the park already, and Ashley wanted to tell Spencer her findings on DuPonte before they got home.

She figured, now might be a good time.

"Yeah?" the blonde asked, swinging their arms back and forth.

Ashley smiled at the gesture, and looked up into Spencer's eyes, forgetting for a moment what she was going to say.

"Ash, you were saying something." Spencer reminded her.

"Oh, yeah. Well I kinda did some snooping…" she ran her free hand through her hair, worried at how Spencer would react to such grizzly news, considering the missing Environmentalist just may as well be the person she and Glen witnessed being murdered.

"Okay, honey, on what?" she asked, a little curious now.

"Alaric DuPonte." Ashley blurted.

Spencer stopped walking for a second, than began once more, her mind racing with question after question. She asked the most important one though,

"Who was it?"

Ashley immediately understood who Spencer was talking about. She wanted to know the identity of the victim that she saw. Ashley was unsure whether to tell her about this Charlie person, or lie and say she had no clue.

She went with the truth, or at least, her theory.

"Charlie Jacobs, at least, that's who I think it is. She was an Environmentalist person for Alaric's company," Ashley found them a bench to sit on, "and she disappeared like eight years ago."

Spencer looked at Ashley, confused.

"But what I saw happened only two years ago."

Ashley had thought about that when she read it on the website, so she did more digging. It turns out that Charlie had disappeared about six and a half years earlier, trying to escape from Alaric (Ashley's assumption. All the website had said was that she was trying to stay hidden from someone).

Spencer's eyes widened as Ashley told her this newly acquired information. As Ashley finished telling Spencer about the events that lead up to her disappearance almost nine years ago, Spencer's brain began to ask more and more questions.

Questions she desperately need the answers to. Like, is Charlie really dead, or did she survive the brutal attack? The police never found a body in the place she told them about. Did Alaric get to her, kill her, and just stash the body some other place?

She needed to know, and she wanted to know, now.

Grabbing the brunette's hand, she yanked the both of them off of the bench, and in the direction of their apartment.

"Come on." She said simply.

Ashley, a little surprised at her girlfriend's sudden behavior, just followed silently.

---------------------------

**Somewhere Unknown**

Alaric had his pawn prepared.

It was set.

She was to arrive in three days to that wretched girl's location, and get into her life, and prepare Alaric for the final moments of the young girl's life.

He was giddy.

After all this time, he was finally going to dispose of the last thing that tried to ruin him.

He laughed.

He had been spared, not having to take out the blonde boy, her brother. He was disposed of by someone else. Someone Alaric was grateful to.

He paced.

He needed to continue his plan. After the pawn was planted, he needed to give her directions, the exact times and places he wanted her to show. He needed to burn her image into his brain.

He would never forget.

It was only a matter of time…


	9. Insert and Displace, Part One

_**Chapter Eight: Insert, and Displace**_

_**Davies/Carlin Residence**_

Spencer dragged Ashley into their apartment, releasing her hand as she ran toward their computer.

"Spence, what is it that you're looking for?"

"I need to see her."

Ashley was confused now.

"See who, baby?"

"Charlie. I need to see what she looks or looked like."

Ashley nodded as she walked up behind the frantic blonde, placing her hands on her shoulders in a comforting gesture. Spencer typed furiously, trying to find the missing woman.

"I thought you didn't see the person's face?" Ashley whispered.

"I did. I just never said that before because nobody was listening to me anyway."

Ashley felt saddened by this comment. Spencer was getting frustrated, she couldn't find a damn picture. Ashley squeezed her shoulder lightly.

"Here, let me try."

Spencer got out of the chair and let Ashley slide in her place. Ashley typed, fast. A few seconds later, a picture popped up.

"How in hell did you find that so fast?" Spencer asked, shocked.

"Found it last night while I was researching. That's her." Ashley said, pointing out a tall red-headed woman in the picture. Spencer, unfortunately, recognized her.

"That's her." Her voice was barely above a whisper.

"Are you sure?" Ashley asked quietly.

Spencer could only nod as tears began falling down her face. Ashley pushed the chair back as she stood up to envelope her girlfriend in a tight hug. They stayed that way for a good few minutes before the computer beeped at them.

"Hey, look" Ashley said, pointing at the screen.

"You've got mail!" she said, causing Spencer to erupt in light giggles.

Spencer sat in the chair, and opened her e-mail account, seeing two new e-mails there. One was junk, 'Need a new mortgage?'. The other one, however, was this:

_Spencer!_

_Hey, girl! We haven't heard from you in forever chicka! We all miss you so much, so I decided we've been apart long enough! I'm flying me and the girls to LA to see you! _

_Just give me your address, and we'll see you in a couple of days!_

_Love you, hun!_

_ 3 Kasey_

Ashley finished reading it around the same time Spencer did.

"Spence, who's Kasey?"

Spencer looked up at her.

"She was my best friend in Ohio. I haven't seen her in a long, long time. You don't mind if I tell them our address so they can stay here, do you?"

Spencer pouted. Ashley couldn't resist.

"Okay, go ahead."

Spencer gave her a quick kiss, and proceeded on telling Kasey their address. The only thing that she didn't tell her was that she was kind of…dating someone.

That little revelation could wait for her Ohio friends. She'd tell them when the time was right.

"What do we want for dinner?" Ashley called from their kitchen.

"Um, how about some Chinese. I'm in the mood for takeout."

Ashley peeked over the counter, getting out the phonebook.

"Sounds great to me." They smiled.

-----------------------------

_**Somewhere Unknown**_

"We're all set." A female voice crackled.

Alaric breathed relief into the phone. Phase one had gone smoothly.

"Good. Now get into her life. Implant yourself once more. Oh, and one more thing…"

"Yes, sir?"

"She has a girlfriend. Be mindful, and get rid of her for me, will you?"

"Yes, sir."

The line went dead.


	10. Insert and Displace, Part Two

_**A/N:**** Okay, I apologize for taking so fucking long with this chapter, so i wrote two in hopes that you wouldn't give up on my story!**_

_**This chapter is the introduction of Spencer's old friends from Ohio! Yay! **_

_**I wrote this chapter and chapter ten while listening to Paramore. (I loves their new song, "Misery Bussiness"! 'Tis greatness!)**_

_**waves hand around On with the reading! (puh-lease tell me what you think, leave a comment!)**_

_**-Oz  
**_

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_**Chapter Nine: Insert and Displace, Part Two**_

_**LA International Airport**_

…**Two Days Later…**

Spencer and Ashley arrived at the airport, and set out to find the gate that Kasey had told the duo they were landing in. Ashley found a list of the arriving flights on a television screen not too far from where they were standing.

Scanning the list carefully, Spencer found Kasey's flight information. She was landing in about ten minutes in gate 13A.

"Come on!"

Spencer grabbed Ashley's wrist, and pulled her down the walkways, toward the specified gate number. Ashley caught up with Spencer's fast pace, and opted to entwine their hands together instead of being pulled by her wrist.

"Hey guys! Wait for me!" Aiden yelled.

They had called and asked Aiden if he could help pick up Spencer's friends, seeing as Spencer's car was too small, and Ashley's SUV was in the shop for an oil change and brake-pad fix-up. Aiden's giant SUV (second only to Ashley's) was the only option big enough to haul everyone home in.

Spencer and Ashley slowed down to allow him enough time to match their pace. He caught up just as they were reaching the gate, Spencer nervously fidgeting with everything she could find.

"Spencer!" Ashley yelped when the blonde began playing with the hem of Ashley's skirt.

"Sorry," she dropped her hands into her lap. "I'm just nervous about seeing them again. I haven't seen any of them for a long time…"

"And you don't know what they'll think of you, or me?" Ashley finished.

"Both."

Ashley squeezed her hand, and leaned over to whisper in her ear.

"It's hard not to love you, honey."

Spencer blushed a light crimson, and Ashley smirked.

Aiden, totally oblivious of the mini panic-attack, pointed at the opening door near the windows.

"They're here!"

Spencer shot out of her chair, standing on her tippy-toes to try and catch a glimpse of her old friends before they found her. She looked around as all the passengers filed out of the tiny corridor.

Ashley tugged on her hand, making her look to her right. There they were!

"Kasey! Alice! Lauren!"

Spencer released Ashley's hand and ran over to the girls.

"Spencer!" they all yelled together.

For a good ten minutes, they all stood there and hugged, and giggled before Ashley and Aiden walked up.

Spencer looked lovingly at Ashley, finally deciding what to tell her friends as they made the last steps to face the girls. Aiden smiled widely at Alice, who smiled just as hugely back.

"Girls, this is my best friend Aiden," Spencer patted Aiden's buff chest. "Aiden, these are the girls."

A tall girl with long red hair and a grungy rock-n-roll look introduced herself as Kasey. The girl beside her, Alice, was also tall, standing at five-foot-ten with shoulder-length black hair in a Paramore shirt, and her lip pierced. The last girl, named Lauren, was blonde and a little shorter than the other girls, standing at an average five-foot-five, she had honey-blonde hair and a preppy clothing style.

"Hi, Aiden." Alice said, shyly.

Spencer noticed the immediate spark between her friends, and hope they would pick up on it to.

"So, Spinney, who's this?" Kasey, who seemed to be the most outspoken of the group, asked, pointing at Ashley.

"Her? This is Ashley," Spencer grabbed Ashley's hand tightly. "My girlfriend…"

-----------------------------

_**Somewhere Unknown**_

Alaric paced the cramped room back and forth, wearing a track into the floor.

_My pawn should be in place by now! Why hasn't she called me?_

He reached up and scratched his chin where stubble was now visibly growing. He hadn't left this room in a long while. He went back to pacing as he waited impatiently for his accomplice to contact him.

The room was poorly lit, which only added to his ever growing frustrations. He had this perfectly planned out, at least, that's what he thought. At this point, there was little for him to do beside wait for the call.

He needed to initiate his little scheme soon, before everything was discovered. Just a day ago, some police came to the door asking about his property. He nervously answered every question with answers he thought would be satisfactory to the officers. When he was clear of the authorities, he dead-bolted the door, and headed back down to the basement where he was to plan more, and more everyday. Neglecting his own personal care, or the care of his home and job.

He had been calling in sick to work for over a week now, and decided that tomorrow he would go back, if only to keep up his appearances.

_RING!_

_Finally!_

He raced over to the phone, and yanked it off the cradle, placing it up to his ear.

"Hello, sir. This is DebtGather, we have noticed a significant payment deficiency in your account. We need this matter corrected as soon as…"

He slammed the phone back down, roughly running his hands through his hair.

This day would never end.


	11. Insert and Displace, Part Three

_**A/N:**** Alrighty, this chapter has a lot of dialogue in this chapter. Just a fair warning! **_

_**This is the first appearance of Kyla in my stories. Bear with me, she may be slightly OOC...**_

_**Anyways, on with the reading! ****  
**_

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_**Chapter Ten: Insert and Displace, Part Three**_

_**LA International Airport**_

"So, Spinney, who's this?" Kasey, who seemed to be the most outspoken of the group, asked, pointing at Ashley.

"Her? This is Ashley," Spencer grabbed Ashley's hand tightly. "My girlfriend…"

"Cool. Hey Ashley, I'm Kasey."

Spencer released her death-grip on Ashley's hand, and visibly relaxed at her old friend's attitude at her new revelation. Kasey stuck out her hand, and Ashley happily shook it.

"I'm Alice."

Alice opted for a hug that Ashley didn't expect. Spencer leaned over to Ashley.

"Alice has always been a touchy-feely person." She whispered.

Ashley simply nodded, as she returned the hug. Finally, Lauren stepped forward.

"And I, am Lauren."

Ashley shook hands with the petite blonde and nodded. She narrowed her eyes as she looked at the group of girls.

"Okay, let me get this straight here," she pointed at Kasey first. "Kasey," she pointed at Alice, "Alice," she pointed at the last girl, "Lauren. Right?"

All three nodded. Ashley relaxed, glad she hadn't forgotten their names already.

"I want to hear more about this girlfriend here, so I opt, that you guys help us get our shit from luggage, and we get some food. Good?"

Spencer smiled, and nodded. Ashley and Aiden broke out in a fit of laughter. The girls just stared for a moment.

"What's so funny?" Spencer asked.

"She's a bit…blunt, isn't she?"

Kasey smiled at the laughing duo.

"Yeah, I am. I just hate beating around the bush. So, luggage, right?"

Everyone nodded simultaneously as they began their escapade to the luggage pick-up/drop-off area to find the trio's stuff. No longer nervous of what her old friends would think, Spencer grabbed Ashley's hand and entwined their fingers.

"So…" Ashley began.

"What?"

"Spinney?"

"Childhood nickname."

"Elaborate, please."

"You remember those stupid little kids toys, um, the sit and spin it think they're called?"

Ashley nodded.

"Well, I used to play on one of those things every single day until I turned 8."

"Ah."

"Yes, hence the beginning of 'Spinney'."

Aiden laughed.

"It's cute, Spencer, really."

Ashley smiled, and nodded.

"I agree, but I'm still calling you whatever I want to."

"Fine with me."

"I think I'll start calling you Spinney…"

Aiden told the blonde. She smiled, and whacked him playfully on the arm.

They finally found the pick-up area, but ended up having to wait a good twenty minutes before the girls' bags spewed out of the conveyer belt. Aiden took most of the baggage, and the girls took the not-so-heavy stuff outside and ventured to Aiden's SUV.

After loading all their belongings into the trunk, they figured out a seating arrangement.

"Okay, Aiden is driving obviously. Alice, you can ride shotgun," Kasey instructed the raven haired girl. "Spinney and Ashley can sit in the second row, and Lauren and I will take the back, okay?"

Seeing no problem with the seating, everyone clambered into the vehicle, and headed off to Ashley and Spencer's apartment.

-------------------------

_**Davies/Carlin Residence**_

Spencer stuck her key into the lock, and flipped the tumblers, effectively opening their front door. Stepping aside, she let the trio in before Aiden, Ashley and herself entered.

"Kyla?"

Ashley asked loudly.

There, in the middle of their living room, was a beautiful brown-haired girl who was just a smidge shorter than Ashley.

"Ky!"

Ashley pushed forward and hugged the stranger.

"Kyla! Heya! How've you been?"

Spencer stepped forward and offered a hug to the unknown girl.

"Everyone, this is Kyla, Ashley's little sister."

Everyone nodded and smiled.

"Ky, what're you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be in Memphis for school?"

"Well, I missed my sister and my friends, so I came to visit!"

Ashley smiled, but suddenly realized their current predicament.

"Um, where're you staying?"

Kyla laughed.

"I'm in the hotel right across the street. I kinda figured you might not have enough room for me to stay, so I planned ahead."

Ashley hugged her sister once more.

"How long are you staying on the west coast?"

Kyla released her sister from their embrace.

"Only for a week or two. We have a break at school, and I don't have to be back for a while."

Ashley eyed her sister suspiciously.

"Nothing's going on at school, right?"

Kyla laughed at her sister's protectiveness.

"I promise. Just a break, that's all."

"Okay, how's about some food?" Lauren was holding the phonebook open on the table as she asked the crowd of people.

Spencer laughed.

"Sounds great."

* * *

**_Okay, now press that little button down there on the far left corner, and leave me some comments! Tell me what you think so far, and if you have any suggestions on what should happen next!_**

**_-Oz_**


	12. Karaoke and Card Games

_**A/N:**** Okay, I'm sitting here eating a bowl of honey nut cheerios, and listening to Rogue Trader. I figured, now might be a good time to update the story. So here you go! This is chapter eleven. Mucho thanks to anyone who has reviewed so far! You guys keep me going. ****  
**_

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_**Chapter Eleven: Karaoke and Card Games**_

_**Davies/Carlin Residence**_

After arguing for a good twenty minutes over whether they should order a pizza or have Chinese, they finally decided to split. Kasey, Spencer, and Alice got Chinese, and Ashley, Kyla, and Lauren got a large pizza for them to split.

They all sat and talked for a good half hour before their food arrived, and everyone started eating.

"Need fum moo-zic" Kasey told everyone, her mouth half full of lo mien. She got up, careful not to spill her noodles, and walked over to the stereo system.

"Nif" she said appreciatively. Ashley giggled.

"Yeah, just don't get your munchies on my stereo! Now turn it on, woman!"

Kasey reached for the button and pressed it. She smiled when she realized what was in the player.

**_I'm in the business of misery,_**

**_Lets take it from the top._**

**_She's got a body like an hourglass,_**

**_Its ticking like a clock._**

**_It's a matter of time before we all run out,_**

**_When I thought he was mine,_**

**_She caught him by the mouth._**

**_I waited eight long months,_**

**_She finally set him free._**

**_I told him I couldn't lie,_**

**_He was the only one for me._**

**_Two weeks away and he caught on fire,_**

**_She's got it out for me,_**

**_But I wear the biggest smile…_**

As the song played, Ashley smiled widely and yanked Spencer off of the floor, dancing in circles around her.

**_Whoa, I never meant to brag,_**

"But I got her where I want her now!" Spencer improvised. Ashley was shocked she even knew what the song was. Spencer grabbed Ashley, and wound her arms around the brunette's waist as she sang into her ear.

"Whoa, it was never my intention to brag,

To steal it all away from you now,

But god does it feel so good,

Cause I got her where I want her now.

And if you could then you know you would,

Cause god it just feels so,

It just feels so good…_"_

Ashley leaned over and switched their positions so that she was now the dominant dancer once more, and whispered softly, "This one's for Madison."

"Second chances, they don't ever matter,

People never change.

Once a whore, you're nothing more,

I'm sorry that'll never change.

And about forgiveness,

We're both supposed to act ashamed.

I'm sorry, honey, but I'll pass it up,

Now look this way.

There's a million other girls who do it just like you,

Looking as innocent as possible to get to who

They want and what they like,

Its easy if you do it right.

Well I refuse, I refuse, I refuse!"

Spencer rested her head on Ashley's shoulder, saying her improvised lyrics once more.

"Whoa, I never meant to brag,

But I've got her where I want her now.

Whoa, it was never my intention to brag,

To steal it all away from you now,

But god does it feel so good,

Cause I got her where I want her right now.

And if you could then you know you would,

Cause god it just feels so,

It just feels so good…"

Alice stood up and walked over to the dancing duo, smiling good-naturedly. Ashley and Spencer giggled as Alice took the bridge, singing it beautifully.

"I watched his wildest dreams come true,

Not one of them involving you.

Just watch my wildest dreams come true,

Not one of them involving…

Whoa, I never meant to brag,

But I've got him where I want him now…"

Ashley, Spencer, and Alice all joined in together to sing the last part with Spencer's altered words, finishing out their little karaoke session slash dinner show.

"Whoa, I never meant to brag,

But I've got her where I want her now.

Whoa, it was never my intention to brag,

To steal it all away from you now,

But god does it feel so good,

Cause I got her where I want her now.

And if you could then you know you would,

Cause god it just feels so,

It just feels so good…"

"Fuck yeah!" Kasey yelled as she gave Alice a high-five. Ashley smiled, and gave Spencer a quick kiss on the lips. They all flipped through the CDs in the stereo, stopping every once in a while to karaoke another favorite.

Three hours later, Kyla said goodnight and retreated to her room. Not long after her, Lauren went to bed as well. The only ones left still awake were Ashley, Spencer, Alice, and Kasey. They all sat in a circle with their legs crossed, playing some random card game.

"Okay, Ash, your turn my dear." Kasey gestured toward the brunette.

"Um, okay. How does this work again?"

Spencer giggled and Kasey sighed, getting frustrated with having to explain the card game over and over again. She was getting positive that the girl had short term memory loss or something.

"Okay, last time I'm explaining this, kay?" Kasey said, frustrated.

Ashley nodded timidly, not wanting the red head to explode at her, trusting her gut telling her that that feisty girl had a very short fuse.

"We all take turns laying down cards, and we keep going until someone lays down a face card like an Ace or a Queen. With me so far?"

Ashley nodded once again, listening intently.

"Okay, now if someone gets a face card the person who's next to go has to lay down as many cards as required. For an Ace its four, Jack is one, Queen is two, and King is three. Now, if they lay down the needed number of cards, and don't get another face card before they're finished laying, than the person who layed the original face card gets the pile."

Ashley nodded yet again.

"Now there's extra stuff to go along with that as well. For example, if one player lays down a filler card, which is any card that isn't a face card, like a nine of spades or something, and someone else lays a nine on top of it, its called a double, and the first player to slap that pile, wins it. The other thing is called a sandwich. A sandwich is when you get a card, like the ten of diamonds, and another card goes on top of it, and then someone else lays down another ten on top of that, the first player to slap the pile gets it."

"Okay."

"Glad you got me so far. Almost done, promise." Kasey smiled.

Ashley watched Kasey's cards as she layed them down for examples.

"Now, when you're slapping for a double or a sandwich, you gotta watch out, cause if you mis-slap, you have to put the card on top of your hand underneath the center pile. Oh, and to slap a sandwich, there can only be one card separating the twins. Got it?"

"I think so, lets try this again."

The girls giggled, and began another game.

An hour later, tired and worn out, the same game was still being played with Ashley holding well over half of the deck.

"I say we call it a night, and let Ash win this one. How bout it?" Alice suggested.

Kasey nodded, right as her mouth opened in a yawn. Alice got up from her spot on the floor and pulled Kasey up as well. Kasey kissed Ashley and Spencer on their cheeks, and mumbled a goodnight as she dragged Alice back into their room.

"This was really fun. Thank you for letting them stay with us." Spencer said gratefully as she kissed her girlfriends lips.

"Anytime. Now I think we should get some sleep as well."

The blonde nodded, and got up with Ashley, and walked back into their bedroom, drifting off into an easy sleep.

* * *

**_Credits!_**

**_Song used: "Misery Business" by Paramore_**

**_Card game mentioned: Egyptian Ratscrew (weird name, I know, but its an awesome game!)_**

**_puh-lease review fer me! it motivates me! love you guys._**


	13. My Little Decoy

_**A/N:**** Whoo! My computer is finally all set up! Yay! **_

_**This chapter is an action packed one, I think. Anyway, I was listening to "Decoy" by Paramore off of their new CD, RIOT! (its the bonus track on the one you can buy from Hot Topic). That song is what inspired this chapter, hence the chapter name! **_

_**On with the story! ****  
**_

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_**Chapter Twelve: My Little Decoy**_

_**RIIING RIIING**_

"_**Hello?"**_

"_**Alaric?"**_

"_**Yes. Are you close?"**_

"_**She's very happy to see me, but I have to re-assert myself into her life once more, and then I can follow through with the plan."**_

"_**Good, good. Let me know when her other half is erased from the picture. My plan won't work as long as she still lingers."**_

"_**Yes, sir. I'm working on it."**_

"_**Hurry, we don't have much time left to carry out the plan."**_

"_**Yes, sir. I understand. I'll call you when everything has fallen into place, and I've successfully captured the girl."**_

"_**Excellent."**_

_**CLICK**_

_**---------------------------------------**_

"Hey, Ash."

Ashley turned around, clad in only her boxers and a t-shirt, seeing as she had just woken up.

"Hey, Ky. What's up?" she asked sleepily.

"I was going to go for a run with Lauren. Do you want to come with us?"

"Sure, sounds good. Just let me change really quick."

Kyla nodded and disappeared into one of the spare rooms she fell asleep in.

_**Ten Minutes Later**_

"Ready to go?"

Ashley and Kyla nodded, and the three of them headed off into the wooded pathway, running at a slow pace to start things. Kyla ran ahead, leaving Ashley and Lauren to trail behind her. They came across a beautiful lake midway through the path, and Ashley wanted to stop to take it in, and to take a short break.

"So how long have you known Spencer?"

Ashley was caught off guard by her sudden question. She regained her composure, and prepared to answer the question, but Lauren just kept going.

"I've known her for nine years. Nine years. Insane right?"

Ashley simply nodded.

"Yeah, I met her shortly after she made friends with Kase. We became a tight little group throughout elementary, middle, and a little of high school. Then she moved, and we didn't hear from her in a long time. Kasey found her by accident on the computer."

Ashley nodded once more.

"I feel like some of it's my fault, like I've been hogging her too much and she just 'forgot' to talk to you guys or something."

Lauren was quiet for a moment as they stood against the peaceful lake.

"You did." She said angrily, turning to face the brunette.

Before Ashley could react, a fist connected with her face, and she stumbled back into a tree.

"You took her from us! We used to be so close, and now she won't even look at me! It's your fault! You're not special. You're not."

She stepped closer to the brunette, who was pressing her hand to a wound that had formed on her chin, where Lauren had clipped her.

"She does look at you! Which world are you living in?"

Lauren stepped even closer to Ashley, and whispered venomously, "I'm living in my world. The way things should've gone…"

She pulled Ashley away from the tree, and toward the edge of the lake.

"Without you."

"No!"

Ashley pushed back, causing Lauren to lose her balance on a small rock behind her left foot. Ashley used that opportunity to push Lauren even further backward, in an attempt to get herself away from the edge of the lake.

"You bitch!"

Lauren took one step back and disappeared behind the trees. Ashley looked everywhere, but she couldn't find the girl. Suddenly, a hand clamped itself over her mouth, and another around her waist to bind her arms to her sides.

"Spencer isn't yours. She belongs to us." Lauren whispered slowly.

With a final shove, she sent Ashley sprawling toward the ground. A soft crack emitted when the brunette's head came into contact with the same rock that had tripped Lauren not five minutes previously.

Lauren bent over Ashley's unconscious form, and dragged her by her arms to the edge of the lake, pausing for a moment as she had difficulty with the dead weight Ashley posed.

"Goodbye, sweetheart." Lauren smiled maniacally.

She gave one last tug and managed to pull Ashley's body into the chilly water, and ran off to rejoin Kyla.

----------------------------

"Hey slowpoke! Where's my sister?"

Lauren stopped running when she caught up with Kyla at the opening of the wooded path, where they had began.

"She said she wanted to stay here for a while, and she'd just walk home. She told me to tell you that we can go ahead and go home when we wanted."

Kyla looked skeptical.

"Look, why would I say that unless she told me?"

Kyla still didn't fully believe her.

"Okay, lets go home."

Lauren nodded, and followed Kyla back to the car, and they headed home.

_**Two Hours Later, At the Lake**_

Ashley yanked her damp body out of the cold water, and onto the bank. Panting heavily, she reached up to feel the slash in her forehead. She pressed on it gently, and caused herself to gasp painfully. It hurt like hell.

"Bitch."

She pulled herself up further, thankful of the tree roots that stuck out of the ground. Lauren didn't know this place like Ashley did. That lake was only four feet deep around the bank area. Ashley's tennis shoe string had latched itself onto something at the bottom of the lake, keeping her floating in the four foot deep water.

On top of that, Lauren was stupid enough to throw her into the lake face up. So once she regained her consciousness, she was able to breathe right away without inhaling fifty gallons of salt water as well.

Ashley sat against a tree, attempting to catch her breath. Being unconscious for two hours takes a toll on one's body. She sat, thinking about what exactly Lauren had said to her.

"_Spencer isn't yours. She belongs to us."_

"Us? Who's us?"

-------------------------------

_**RIIING RIIING**_

"_**Alaric?"**_

"_**Is it done?"**_

"_**My little decoy worked perfectly. She believed every word I said to her, and took care of the girlfriend effortlessly. I didn't have to do a thing except convince her that her world was falling apart."**_

"_**Perfect. With the girlfriend out of the picture, this will make our plan much, much easier to perform."**_

"_**Yes, sir."**_

"_**Get the girl, and bring her here, but make sure she doesn't know where here is, you got me?"**_

"_**Yes, sir."**_

_**CLICK**_

* * *

_**Leave me some love, puh-lease! **_


	14. I've Got A Lot To Say To You

_**A/N:**** Hey! Thank you guys so much for the reviews. There are about four more chapters to this, maybe more. Anyway, here's the next chapter for you!****  
**_

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_**Chapter Thirteen: I've Got A Lot To Say To You**_

_**Davies/Carlin Residence**_

"Hey you guys, good morning."

"Heya Spence." Kyla replied.

"Same to you, Spencer." Lauren said, coming in after Kyla.

"Where's Ash?"

Kyla looked back at Lauren.

"Well, Lauren said that she wanted to stay at the lake for a while, and that she said for us to come home whenever, so we left."

Kyla held out the car keys in front of Spencer's face.

"Go check up on her, okay? Make sure she's not going crazy."

Spencer nodded and grabbed the keys, making her way over to the door to put her shoes on, and grab a jacket, considering she was only in her pajama pants and a tank top. Before she could walk any further, Lauren grabbed her wrist.

"She's perfectly fine, Spencer. Come on, let's go find Kasey…"

"I'll hang out with you guys later, I just wanna check up on her, and make sure she's okay."

"But…"

"No, I'm going. See you guys in a bit."

With that Spencer shut the door. Kyla and Lauren heard the car's engine turn over, and rumble away into the distance, in the direction of the lake. The expression on Lauren's face went from content, to absolutely panicked. Kyla noticed.

"Lauren, are you okay?"

"Y-yeah, I'm fine. See ya."

Lauren took off into another part of the apartment and left Kyla standing there by herself, but not for long.

"Heya Ky. Morning."

"Morning, Alice."

Alice smiled kindly and poured herself a cup of coffee, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes as she looked around the empty apartment.

"Where is everybody?"

"Well Ashley is at the lake, Spencer went to get Ashley, Lauren is in the back of the apartment, probably searching for Kasey for some reason. You just wake up?"

"Yeah."

"You sleep late."

"I tend to." Alice smiled, and sat at the table with her coffee.

After a couple of minutes of questionably tense silence, Alice broke it.

"So…how's school?"

_**The Lake**_

"Ashley!"

Spencer had been frantically yelling her girlfriend's name for the last ten minutes, being unable to find her anywhere. She began to walk the path to find an open bank on the lake. _Maybe she'll be just ahead here…I know there's an open bank up ahead…_

"Ash…"

Spencer spotted the brunette propped up against a tree, unconscious, and soaking wet. She noticed a large gash on her forehead. It looked bad. Flipping out her cell phone, she dialed a familiar number.

"Aiden?"

"Yeah?"

"It's Spencer."

"Are you okay, Spence? You sound frantic…"

"I'm fine, listen, Ashley's hurt, and I need your help…"

-----------------------------------------------

"_**What is it now?"**_

"_**My plan has fallen apart. I've just been informed that the target went to 'check' on the girlfriend, which means, I just may be figured out."**_

"_**THIS IS NOT THE TIME FOR MISTAKES!"**_

"_**I understand, Sir."**_

"_**She had better be here by tomorrow night. I don't care how, but you'd better do it. Am I clear?"**_

"_**Crystal, Sir."**_

_**CLICK.**_

--------------------------------------------------

_**Dennison Residence**_

Aiden carefully placed Ashley's unconscious form onto his couch, placing a pillow under her neck to keep it elevated.

"Spencer, we should've taken her to the hospital."

"I know who it is."

"She's gon…wait, what?"

"I know who it is."

"Yes, I heard you the first time. Who what is?"

"I've had the strangest feeling that someone has been watching me or something lately. I've been trying so hard to figure out who it was, and when I found Ashley by the lake, I figured it out."

"Okay, so who do you think it is?"

"Lauren."

"Just Lauren?"

"No, but I don't know who else she's working with, but there is one thing that I'm sure of."

"What's that?"

"They're both working for DuPonte."

"As in Alaric DuPonte? As in the psychopath who's been trying to kill you?"

"That's the one."

Aiden paused for a moment before letting himself fall, dumbfounded, into his recliner. He rubbed his temples, trying to put everything together. He looked up at Ashley's head, and then back to Spencer.

"What do we do now?"

Spencer walked over, and enveloped her best friend in a hug.

"Thank you."

"Always."

Aiden got out of his chair, and began to pace his living room.

"We have to think of a plan."

"I agree, but first, we need to find out who else is working with Lauren."

"Do you think it may be one of the other girls?"

"I don't know, that's the problem. I do have an idea though."

"What's that?"

"I'll go back to my apartment tonight, tell everyone that Ashley decided to stay over here for the night because…ooh, because she was overwhelmed with all the people around her…"

"Okay good start."

"I'll pretend to go to bed, and wait for everyone else to fall asleep. Than I have free roam of my apartment to search for clues. I need to find something that will lead us to Lauren's accomplice."

"Are you sure you want to do that alone?"

"I have to. Like I said, I'm gonna tell everyone that she's staying over here, so you very well can't come with."

"Tell Kyla then."

"That's not a bad idea. I just might do that."

"Good. As long as someone else can help you so you're not doing it all alone, cause you being alone right now? Yeah, not a good thing."

"I agree."

Spencer got up and kissed Ashley's cheek carefully. Then she walked over to Aiden, capturing him once more in another giant hug.

"Take care of her. I'll be back tomorrow morning, first thing."

"Okay. Please, Spence, be careful."

Spencer nodded, kissing him on the cheek. She took one last look at Ashley, then left Aiden's apartment to go back to her own, and initiate her plan.

Operation: Find A Killer, would be in full effect tonight.

* * *

**_Tell me what you think! Press that pretty blue button down there on the left..._**


	15. Under My Skin

_**Chapter Fourteen: Under My Skin**_

_**Davies/Carlin Residence (Late Afternoon)**_

Spencer walked in the door, quietly, as she noticed the empty apartment. She threw the keys onto the table, and walked further inside, trying to find someone.

"Hey! Anyone still here?"

She walked into the back hall, peering into each room. She realized, as she reached the end of the hall, that no one but her was home. Walking back into the living room, she noticed a note taped to the TV screen.

_Spence---_

_Alice and I are out clubbing, because we got bored._

_Kasey and Lauren left shortly before us, but we _

_Have no clue where they went. Anyways, we'll be_

_Home later, so don't worry! Love ya._

_-Ky_

"Oh!"

Spencer finally realized something. She had to tell Aiden right away. Getting up, with the note still in her hand, she made her way back into the kitchen, searching for her cell. After a few minutes of searching, she realized that she had left it in the car. Anxious with her new found knowledge, she ran outside without grabbing her jacket, or the keys.

"Shit."

She pulled the handle on the driver's side door, only to find that it was locked. Spencer turned around, to go back into the house, but was met by something else.

"Kasey?"

"You make everything difficult, don't you?"

Spencer looked down, noticing that Kasey was holding something. That something happened to be a metal baseball bat.

"Wha-"

Before Spencer's words left her mouth, Kasey cracked the bat over her head, knocking her out.

"You don't get to ask questions Spence. Sorry."

------------------------------------------------

_**Dennison Residence**_

"Ugh, fuck…"

"Finally awake?"

Ashley tried to turn her head to face him, but found that whatever strength she thought she had, was out the window. She settled for staring at the ceiling.

"Aiden? Where am I?"

He got up so he was in her sight range. She moved her eyes until they fell upon his face, standing over her.

"My place. Spencer brought you over here."

At the mention of Spencer's name, Ashley bolted upright.

"SHIT!"

Aiden walked around to the front of the couch.

"Calm down, just sit back."

Ashley leaned back into the couch cushion behind her and took very deep breaths to will away the pain. She closed her eyes for a moment, then re-opened them to look at Aiden's face.

"Where is she?"

"She went back to your guys' place."

"NO!"

Aiden pushed her back down onto the couch.

"What? What's wrong, Ash?"

"You don't understand…"

"Try me."

"Lauren!"

"I know that. Spencer found it out. She went home to find out some stuff, she'll be back in the morning."

"No, you really don't understand! It's Kasey!"

Aiden was confused.

"What do you mean it's Kasey?"

"Kasey and Lauren are working together! They're the one's after Spencer!"

Ashley hurriedly pushed herself off of the couch, grasping the back of it for support as she mad her way to the front door. Aiden got up and followed her, holding her up so she could walk.

"We gotta go back to the apartment. She's in trouble, Aiden!"

Aiden nodded, and locked his front door as they slammed it shut behind them.

---------------------------------------------

_**Somewhere Unknown**_

Alaric stopped pacing as he heard loud noises coming from the upstairs of the building. He cursed as he ran to the back of the room, grabbing a gun, and pointing it at the hallway ahead of him. He lowered the weapon as he realized who it was.

Carrying the baseball bat in one hand, and one of Spencer's wrists in the other, Kasey made her way toward the dirty man, Lauren following timidly behind.

Alaric smiled as Kasey dumped Spencer's body on a dingy couch near the entrance to the hallway.

Kasey motioned to Spencer's limp form with the bat, and smirked.

"Homerun."


	16. Not Standing Alone

_**A/N:**** This is the LONGEST update I've ever typed for this story! I am going to update this all week. Its almost over now! Thank you sooo much for all the reviews! I love them!! I'd especially love to thank my most loyal reviewer: Halfreck3929. You are the coolest person ever to have stuck with this from the beginning, and for that, I thank you, and love you!  
**_

_**On with the reading!!!  
**_

* * *

_**Chapter Fifteen: Not Standing Alone**_

_**Davies/Carlin Residence**_

"Spencer?"

Aiden eased the back door open slowly as Ashley trailed into the kitchen behind him. They called her name softly at first, but realizing that no one else was home, they began to get frantic. They walked into the living room, to see it in shambles.

"Oh my god…"

Ashley panicked.

"SPENCER!!!"

She ran around their home, searching everywhere. When she returned to the living room, she walked right past Aiden and out into the driveway, where she noticed a piece of paper on the ground. She read it quickly.

"It says that Kyla and Alice went out, so they have no clue as to what's going on, which is good. We don't need anyone else in trouble here."

Aiden nodded as he lead her back into the kitchen. She sat on one of the bar stools, placing the note in front of her. She took several deep breaths, her eyes shut tightly, as she tried to calm her anxious heart. When she finally gained some control, she re-opened her eyes and looked at Aiden.

"We have to find out where Alaric is. We need to find out where he's hiding. It has to be somewhere close…"

Aiden looked back at her.

"How do you figure that?"

"I don't. I just really, really hope I'm right."

He nodded, and got onto the internet.

"What are you doing, Aiden?"

He nodded toward the screen.

"Well, assuming that the only contact Kasey has had with Alaric is through phone calls…"

"She had been sneaking off to call someone a lot…"

"See? Well, all phones have some sort of satellite tracking device inside, because we all know how paranoid the government is. I can enter Kasey's number into this database, and It'll show us who she's been calling."

"How do you know how to do this?"

"I had to do something in my Computer Technology Communications class. This was it."

"Wait, who's numbers did you track?"

"Never mind that."

"How're you gonna enter Kasey's number when neither of us know what it is?"

"Spencer has a post-it stuck to the desk here," he pointed to the note. "and it says 'Kasey Cell', so I'm gonna assume its her number."

Ashley slapped the back of his head.

"Yeah, yeah. Get workin, Einstein."

Aiden typed in the number, and they waited for the results to come up. When they did, they noticed one particular number that popped up frequently in the outgoing calls column.

"Track that one."

Aiden nodded, and typed the number into the satellite tracker. The location popped up almost immediately. Apparently, the current number was in use.

"Montebello…that's about ten miles from here."

Aiden nodded, and read the rest of the information.

"It says that the building is rented out to a Alan Dumonte. It's probably Alaric, but he's not very smart, cause that alias totally sucks."

"Whatever. We need to go, now!"

-------------------------------------------------

_**Montebello, CA. Alaric's Base**_

"…can't stay here for long. They're bound to find us soon. We need to move, quickly."

Spencer's mind slowly creeped out of it's haze. She opened her eyes a little bit, just enough to see her surroundings. She saw that she was in a basement somewhere. Kasey and Alaric were arguing about something. Spencer closed her eyes, and pretended to still be unconscious, as she tuned in to the argument.

"We can't afford to move her. I need to finish this here."

"Than work fast, old man. Cause if you don't kill her, I'll do it myself."

Spencer was shocked. She'd known Kasey for over nine years, and her voice never reflected such hatred before. Hatred that was aimed at her, for some reason. She had to find out why Kasey despised her so much, but she needed to find a way out of here as well.

After a moment of silence, Spencer heard footsteps retreating to the upstairs of the building. She opened her eyes all the way, to fully take in the environment.

As she looked around, she realized she was tied up to the couch. She struggled to get up, but found that her hands were bound to a steel pipe next to the couch, and her ankles tied together. _Well, this complicates things…_

_Screeeech…_

Spencer's head shot up in the direction the sound emitted from. She thought they had gone upstairs. As quickly as she could, she swung back around so that she was laying down once again, and she screwed her eyes shut.

"Spencer…"

_Lauren?_

"Spencer, I know you're awake. I just saw you."

Spencer opened her eyes to come face-to-face with the blonde. Lauren reached up, and untied Spencer's hands from the pipe, allowing her to sit upright on the couch.

"What the hell are you doing?"

Lauren sighed, shaking her head.

"Trying to fix things."

Spencer gave her a questionable look.

"I'm really sorry about what I did to Ashley, but I was being tricked, I swear. Kasey convinced me that she was stealing you away forever, and like an idiot, I bought into her stupid plan."

Spencer was starting to believe the girl.

"I never meant for this to happen, I just thought…well, I don't know what I thought. I do know that I made the biggest mistake of my life, helping Kasey get you like this."

"Why does she hate me so much, Lauren?"

Lauren looked up from the floor, where her gaze had fallen.

"Well…according to her, you're the reason her life fell apart."

"What? Why?"

"When you left, everything was fine. She was taking all her medication for her severe temper and everything. She was doing awesome in school, and making new friends and everything. Then you left. She stopped going to school, which caused her to lose her job. She ran away from home, and lived with each of us in turn until she moved in with some guy."

"Okay…"

"That guy turned out to be Alaric."

Spencer's eyes were the size of dinner plates.

"I know. Anyway, she stopped taking her medication because she couldn't afford it anymore, but her flaring temper never seemed to bother Alaric, especially when she went on rants about you."

"How do you know so much?"

"Lately, she's been feeling depressed, and the night before Ashley, Kyla, and I went for that run, she told me all of this."

"Okay, so keep going."

"Right. So, she kept ranting about you, saying your name a bunch of times, and how much you screwed up her life…"

Spencer flinched, but Lauren continued her story.

"One day, Alaric told Kasey about you and what you did to him, and they've been working to get you back since then."

"How long ago was that?"

"According to what she told me a couple nights ago, just before she sent you that e-mail about us coming to visit. Frankly, Alice and I were shocked when she came to us asking if we wanted to go on a trip to visit you. Alice and I were totally for it, but I was a little skeptical when she said Alaric was going to come on the plane with us."

"Wait, Alaric was at the airport?"

"Yeah, he ran off the minute they began to let us off the plane."

Spencer sat for a minute, taking in all of the information she had just found out. She was truly shocked with Kasey. She couldn't understand why the girl's life had just fallen apart after she moved away.

"Why though? Why did she act like that when I left?"

"Didn't you see it, Spencer? She was in love with you, and you left her and moved across the country. She couldn't stand it, so she fell apart, and began to hate you."

"Oh, god…"

Spencer's hand flew up to her mouth as she began to sob quietly.

"I never meant for any of this…"

"I didn't either. Listen, I don't blame you if you can never forgive me for what I did to Ashley. I can't forgive myself for being so stupid about it, but I can't just let you sit here while they figure out a way to kill you."

Lauren untied Spencer's feet, and pulled her up. When she was on her feet, safely, Spencer grabbed Lauren in a tight hug.

"I won't trust you for a while, but I still love you."

"I love you too, Spence."

Spencer let go of her friend, and peered around their current location.

"So, how the hell do we get out of here?"

"This way. We can hide behind here, and wait for them to come back down, because that door," Lauren pointed to the door at the top of the basement stairs, "is locked right now. They'll unlock it before they come down."

"Then we can run up the steps, and lock them down here."

"Exactly."

Spencer and Lauren situated themselves so that they were well hidden from the stairs and the large portion of the basement, and waited for the door to open.

* * *

**Okay! Let me know what's on your brain!!! Click the button down there, you know you want to!**


	17. Can You See Me Now?

_A/N: I know, I suck. I'm very bad at procrastinating. I actually have this story almost finished, so there will be a bunch of updates today and tomorrow. I'm hoping to finish this up! Thanks soo much to everyone who reviewed this story so far! You guys are awesome!_

_Disclaimer: Obviously, I don't own them, duh!_

_On with the reading! **  
**_

* * *

_**Chapter Sixteen: Can You See Me Now?**_

_**Previously on A Killer's Funeral:**_

**Alaric smiled as Kasey dumped Spencer's body on a dingy couch near the entrance to the hallway. **

**Kasey motioned to Spencer's limp form with the bat, and smirked.**

"**Homerun."**

**---**

"**What the hell are you doing?"**

**Lauren sighed, shaking her head.**

"**Trying to fix things."**

**---**

"**Oh, god…"**

**Spencer's hand flew up to her mouth as she began to sob quietly.**

"**I never meant for any of this…"**

**---**

"**So, how the hell do we get out of here?"**

"**This way. We can hide behind here, and wait for them to come back down, because that door," Lauren pointed to the door at the top of the basement stairs, "is locked right now. They'll unlock it before they come down."**

"**Then we can run up the steps, and lock them down here."**

"**Exactly."**

**-----------------------------------------------------**

Aiden turned off the engine as they stopped in front of the building they believed belonged to Alaric. Ashley began to unbuckle and hop out of the car, but Aiden reached over and grabbed her arm before her foot went out the door.

"Wait, we need to figure out how to get inside."

Ashley looked at him as if he were insane.

"The front door, duh."

Aiden cocked an eyebrow.

"What?"

"Do you hear yourself right now? The front door? Don't you think they'll be guarding that?"

"Maybe…"

"They will. It's too dangerous to just bust through their front door. We might get noticed."

Ashley was silent for a beat.

"Sorry…I just really want to get Spencer out of there. So what do we do then?"

"No problem."

Aiden pulled something out of his jacket pocket and unfolded it.

"What's that?"

"Blueprints of the building."

A huge question mark showed above Ashley's head.

"How'd you get them?"

"Printed them out before we left your house."

"Huh."

"What?"

"I didn't think our printer had any ink…"

"Ashley! Stay focused here!"

"I know! Geez…"

"Anyways, according to this, the building has two upper floors and a basement."

"Basement."

"What makes you think that they have her down there."

This time, Ashley cocked an eyebrow at the boy.

"Haven't you seen any scary movies? Come on!"

Ashley jumped out of the vehicle and shut her door as quietly as she could, Aiden repeating her actions. The rounded the building. They had parked a few blocks away, hoping that they weren't noticed. They snuck to the back of the old fashioned building, and noticed that the basement had only one single window.

"Shit."

Aiden ran a hand through his hair and looked at their surroundings. He pointed to a door that was near them.

"What?"

He jabbed his finger at the door.

"Oh!"

They walked over to the door. Aiden jiggled the handle, to see if it was unlocked. It wasn't. Ashley pushed Aiden out of the way and took a nail file, and a paperclip out of her pocket, shoving both into the lock mechanism. As the tumblers aligned, the door clicked open, and Aiden stared at her incredulously.

"What now?"

Aiden pointed at the door.

"How'd you do that, Ash?"

"Magic. Now let's find Spencer!"

He nodded and pulled the door open carefully, trying not to make any sound as they snuck into what seemed to be the dining room. Dilapidated chairs and other pieces of furniture sat in corners, covered in off-white sheets. Ashley began to inspect, trying to find an entrance into the basement.

"Shit!"

Ashley whispered as she accidentally sent an old porcelain vase to the ground. In an attempt to catch it before it shattered on the floor, she dove after it. She grunted as her body hit the floor, her fingertips just barely grazing the vase as it crashed to the ground.

They listened as footsteps got closer to them.

"Oh, god…"

-----------------------------------

Spencer and Lauren waited patiently for the door to open. After an hour of sitting on the dirty floor, they heard the door creak open. Spencer nudged Lauren's sleeping form, urging her to wake up. When Lauren's eyes finally opened, Spencer put a finger to her lips, telling the girl to stay quiet. Then she pointed up the stairs.

Both girls watched as Alaric descended the steps into the basement, holding a small handgun. Spencer's eyes went wide. That gun was meant for her.

"Oh, Blondie!" Alaric taunted as he walked over to the area where Spencer was tied up only moments before.

"I have a supr……"

Alaric's voice trailed off as he noticed the untied ropes on the piping and no unconscious body laying on the moth-eaten sofa. Alaric snatched the rope from the pipe, holding it in his hand. He threw the rope against the wall and growled in anger.

"BLONDIE! WHEN I FIND YOU, YOU'RE DONE!"

Lauren tugged Spencer out of their hiding spot and up the stairs. Lauren opened the now unlocked door, and reached down for Spencer, who was a little behind her. As she clasped onto Spencer's hand, the girl was suddenly jerked backward.

Looking behind her, Spencer noticed a large, dirty hand grasping her ankle. It was Alaric.

"BLONDIE!"

Spencer kicked, but her foot missed his face by mere inches. He reached up to grab her other ankle, but was suddenly on the floor, clutching his nose. Lauren looked at the pathetic man from her position on the stairs.

"Don't touch." Lauren said, shaking her finger.

Spencer clambered up the steps. Lauren had her hand on the doorknob.

_**THUD**_

_**CRASH**_

Spencer looked at the other girl.

"What the fuck was that?"


	18. Dangerous and Moving

_**Chapter Seventeen: Dangerous and Moving**_

"Get up!" Kasey screamed.

Ashley slowly lifted herself off of the floor, and stood next to Aiden, her hands up in surrender. Aiden jerked his head to his belt, raising his hands up so his jacket rose higher as well. Ashley glanced over to see that Aiden had a handgun on his hip. She nodded to him, signaling that she knew what to do. Ashley lowered her hands slowly to her shoulders, but before she could grab the weapon, a loud crack erupted.

Kasey looked dazed for a moment before she collapsed onto the ground. Standing behind her, with a table leg in hand, was Spencer. Ashley looked shocked, but quickly regained her composure as she stepped over Kasey's body and enveloped Spencer in a hug.

"This is sweet and all, but we need to get our asses out of here. Alaric was still conscious when we locked him in the basement."

Lauren stepped out from behind Spencer. Ashley let go of her girl, and pointed a finger at the other.

"What the FUCK is she doing here?"

Spencer pushed Ashley's arm back to her side and leaned into her ear.

"She saved my life. Leave it alone for now. I'll explain later."

Ashley looked skeptical, but she nodded. She trusted Spencer, but not Lauren. She had every right to hate and distrust the girl, after all, she was the one who knocked her out and threw her in a lake to die. Not exactly warm memories.

**BOOM**

"BLONDIE!"

"Oh, god. Lauren! He got out!"

Lauren grabbed Spencer and Ashley and pushed them at Aiden.

"I'll distract him, you guys get out of here!"

Ashley stared at her.

"You've seen way too many action movies."

"Shut up and get the hell away from here! GO!"

Spencer shook her head.

"No. We're not leaving you to deal with that scum."

Lauren looked back at Spencer, ready to argue once again, but Ashley interrupted.

"Look, Lauren, we're obviously not leaving."

She nodded. Aiden was beginning to feel left out.

"We need to hide somewhere."

Ashley turned to stare at him.

"Why? We can just go out the same way we came in."

"No we can't."

Spencer was standing next to the only other door in the room, the back door. She jiggled the handle to find that it was inexplicably locked…from the outside.

"Seriously, what idiot puts a lock on the outside, but not on the inside?"

"Someone who doesn't want someone else to escape."

"Shit. How're we gonna get out of here then?"

Ashley had a panicked look on her face that matched the one on Spencer's.

"Calm down. Let's just find a good place to hide until we can figure out a way to get away from this place, okay?"

All the girls nodded at Aiden as he lead them out of the dining room and into what appeared to be the living area. He motioned them to continue walking behind him. They found the front door, and a large walk in hall closet near it.

Aiden quietly told the girls to stop, and then motioned toward the hidden closet. They all nodded and pushed themselves inside. There were papers all over the wall in here and a few boxes stacked in the corner.

"Oh my god…"

Spencer's hand flew up to cover her mouth in shock. Ashley rushed over to her and grabbed her shoulders.

"What's wrong, Spence?"

She quietly pointed to one of the papers taped to the wall. Ashley leaned in to read it, and gasped at the contents of the paper. It was Spencer. A picture of her at Gray's. Aiden clicked on the overhead light bulb so they could get a better look at their surroundings.

They were all shocked. Every sheet of paper that was hung up, had Spencer on it or mentioned in it. Aiden walked over to the boxes that were stacked in the corner, and opened the one on top. He picked up a manila folder.

"Carlin, Spencer Marie" he read.

Everyone gathered around him as he flipped open the folder. Spencer's eyes went wide, and she turned to bury her head in Ashley's neck. He flipped through the pages. It was Spencer's school records, her birth certificate, her current residence, her high school name, her family's names and location. It was everything.

"Shh, baby. It's okay."

Ashley stroked Spencer's hair softly as she whispered these words of comfort in the blonde's ear.

Aiden replaced the folder, but noticed more peculiar ones as well.

"Dennison, Aiden Michael" he read the first one.

"Davies, Ashley Christine"

Ashley's head shot up, and she yanked the folder out of Aiden's hands. It was the same as Spencer's. Her whole life was in this folder. As she flipped to the last page, she noticed some obscure red writing on the corner of the page. She lifted it up to her face, and read it.

"DAVIES: GIRLFRIEND OF TARGET. ELIMINATE ASAP."

It had been circled multiple times in the same red pen. Ashley threw the folder back into the box, and glanced over at Aiden's.

"DENNISON: BEST FRIEND OF TARGET. REMOVE ASAP."

"He knew all about us. Every single detail."

Ashley nodded, still dumbfounded by the things they just found. Aiden threw his back in with Ashley's and shut the box. He turned to the door, just as loud banging erupted from it.

"BLONDIE!"


	19. My Name Is Spencer

_**A/N:**__** Okay! This is the last chapter. Thanks soo much to everyone, once again. I hope you've enjoyed this story as much as I enjoyed writing it! There is an Epilogue after this.  
**_

_**On with it now!**_

* * *

_**  
Chapter Eighteen: My Name Is Spencer**_

"BLONDIE!"

"Call the police, now!"

Aiden whipped out his cell phone and dialed 911. As soon as the operator picked up he told them the address, and hung up. He turned to Spencer, whose face had gone blank.

"Spence, honey, are you okay?"

Ashley asked with a concerned tone. She stepped up and placed her hands on Spencer's shoulders, shaking her slightly.

"Let's get him."

Spencer said quietly, almost non-audible. They all nodded. Alaric hollered again, making the look on Spencer's face go from blank, to pissed off in seconds.

"BLONDIE! I KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE!"

Spencer, with a determined look on her face, stormed up to the door, and slammed it open. Alaric stood there staring at her, before a smirk appeared on his grimy face. He raised his arm to her face, the small handgun now pointing to the center of her forehead.

"One shot, love. That's all it takes."

Alaric laughed. Spencer's eyes went wide…

_**BANG**_

Spencer gasped.

With the smirk still plastered on his face, Alaric stared at his target…then proceeded to fall face first onto the floor, blood seeping through his shirt.

"Ha ha ha ha! I told that old man. I told him," Kasey stepped forward into Spencer's face, her gun resting on Spencer's chest. "that if he didn't do it quick, I would."

She smiled as Spencer attempted to shove her away. The others stared in horror at Alaric's body lying on the floor, than they noticed Kasey.

Ashley's eyes flashed with rage as Kasey smirked at her, than turned to Spencer and kissed her, full force. Ashley wanted to kill her, but she noticed the gun pressed to her girlfriend's back, and didn't want to do anything stupid that might compromise her life.

Spencer finally succeeded in shoving Kasey away from her. Staggering, she wiped her lips with her sleeve and stared incredulously at her offender.

"What is your problem, Kasey?!"

Kasey stared angrily at her.

"Spencer, don't…"

Ashley and Lauren whispered from behind her.

"No, I need to know what her problem is!"

Aiden pulled Ashley and Lauren behind him and stood closer to Spencer, just in case something happened, it wouldn't happen to any of them. Not his family.

"What's _my_ problem, Spinney?"

Kasey laughed bitterly.

"Don't tell me! Ooh, _Lauren_ told you right? I didn't expect her not to."

Spencer stepped closer, signaling to Aiden that they needed to get back into the closet, keeping one of her hands behind her. Aiden pulled the girls with him as they stood in the doorway, Aiden out in front, ready to go.

"WHY?! Why did you leave me, Spencer? Huh? What was possibly possessing you?"

"It wasn't my choice, Kasey! You should know that by now!"

"HA! You would've stayed if you _really_ wanted to. But you didn't!"

"I HAD NO CHOICE!"

"YES YOU DID!"

Spencer's eyes were a dark blue as her anger over took her small frame. Kasey stared right back as the fighting ensued.

"You," Kasey said, pointing a finger, "never said a word to me. You didn't even say goodbye. YOU NEVER TOLD ME HOW YOU FELT!"

"YOU NEVER TOLD ME!"

"I tried! I tried so hard, Spencer!"

"No, you didn't. You chickened out. You didn't have the guts to tell me how you really felt. Now you're pinning this all on me."

"IT'S YOUR FAULT!"

"Have you been taking your meds, Kase? Seriously, this is not funny anymore."

Kasey got right into Spencer's face once again.

"It never was, Blondie."

The rage wracked Spencer's body as she reached up and punched Kasey in the face, catching her cheek.

"Wrong move."

Kasey aimed the gun.

"Yeah," Spencer said, a sad smile erupting on her face. "it was yours."

Kasey looked confused. Spencer brought the hand she had been hiding behind her back, up to Kasey, showing her the table leg that had been used to knock her out not too long ago, and swung at the girl's legs. Kasey fell to the ground, dropping the gun in the process. Aiden clambered over and picked up the weapon before the red-head could retrieve it.

Spencer walked up to Kasey.

"Go ahead, Blondie."

Spencer leaned in close, her voice showing her rage, her pain, and her sadness all at once.

"My _name_ is Spencer."

Kasey's eyes widened as Spencer's fist made contact with her face once more, knocking her out. The blonde stood up straight, and stared at her former friend, and broke down in tears. Ashley ran out of the doorway where Aiden kept them, and grabbed Spencer in a hug.

_**BOOM BOOM BOOM**_

"POLICE! OPEN THE DOOR!"

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**_Near the end now! Leave me some love, puhlease! _**


	20. Epilogue

_**A/N: ****Well, this is it, my loves. This is the end of the series. I really hope you've loved it up until the very end. I love you guys!****  
**_

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_**Epilogue**_

"_On Vineland, past the candle shrine that burns on every night for someone. _

_Tonight she'll give herself away, she'll break apart all by her, by herself. _

_It's so easy how we come undone…_

_Take me over when I'm gone._

_Take me over, make me strong._

_Take me over, when I'm gone,_

_Will they burn for me?_

_On Vineland, past the candle shrine that melts into the street design she waits, for someone. _

_She lets herself go like an Angel in the snow,_

_She lays down on her back,_

_Down on her back, she goes…"_

Ashley sang softly to Spencer, as the blonde slowly fell asleep in her arms.

It had been almost two years since the incident with Alaric and Kasey, and Spencer was slowly beginning to forgive herself for 'what she had done' to Kasey. Deep down she knew it wasn't her fault, but she couldn't let it go.

Ashley was there all the time, helping her get over her guilt and anger, never leaving even when Spencer was unbearable. She was almost back to normal, and for that, she thanked God.

On that day, all those months ago, when the police arrived, they saw Alaric's dead body first, than Kasey's unconscious one. They asked for statements from all of them. Lauren and Spencer suggested that Kasey be put in a mental institution while she awaited trial for murder and kidnapping. They agreed.

Kasey ended up killing herself two weeks later. Spencer left. She checked out. It was the same as it had been when Glen died. It was easier for them to save her this time. She had Ashley, Aiden, Kyla, and Lauren there, every day to help her get through her depression, and eventually she began to return.

Now, she hardly cried as much anymore, and her smiles were actually real. No more fake happiness. "I can't give up, not now." Spencer had told all of them one day. They all smiled, and so did she.

Now, on this day, she was really here. Not spaced out, not faking it. She was really here for good. Ashley reached down and seized Spencer's left hand, and began playing with the ring on her finger.

Ashley had proposed.

Spencer smiled, and cried, and screamed. She was so happy. As she accepted, she told Ashley that this was the second happiest day in her life.

"_Wait, what's the first, then?"_

_Spencer smiled up at her, wiping the tears from her face before placing a kiss on her girlfriend—fiancée's face._

"_The day I met you."_

They were going to be married in December. Winter was Spencer's favorite season.

As Spencer pushed her face, if possible, even further into the crook of Ashley's neck, the brunette finished up her song.

"…_Take me over._

_Will they burn for me?_

_Take me over._

_Will they burn for me?_

_Take me over._

_Will they burn for me?"_

"I love you, Spencer."

And both girls dozed off into a happy sleep.

**THE END**

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**Credits:**

** Song: "Candleburn" by Dishwalla**

**That's the end. Tell me what you thought, or if you have any ideas for a new story that I can write. I'm up for anyone's POV. Thanks so much. Leave me some love, one last time!  
**


End file.

South of Nowhere, Angst, Romance