DISCLAIMER: They're not mine, the characters that is. And all that jazz.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Just to clear this up, I'm not a native English speaker so if grammar errors do appear, I apologize.
SPOILERS: Some Season 1 references here and there, methinks.
ARCHIVING: Only with the permission of the author.
Everything's Not Lost
By Wicked
Chapter One
Spencer sighed and sipped her cappuccino. Here she was, Monday afternoon sitting in a small café reading the paper and having some coffee, all by herself. How pathetic was that? She could've at least dragged her assistant with her. Then again, nice girl but not the brightest tool in the toolbox so the conversation would've only been about the latest fashion trend.
Glancing around she saw a couple holding hands and being downright mushy, sitting at the table next to hers. They probably weren't even aware of their surroundings. A fire could've started in the small place and they'd still be sitting here, holding hands and looking oh-so in love. Burned as a turkey that spent way too much time in the oven, of course. But still with a blissful look on their face.
She didn't like admitting it but she was jealous. She wanted a life with someone like that. Where you could sit in a café, drink a cappuccino and be completely unaware of whatever is happening around and solely focusing on the person in front of you. Isn't that what we're all searching for, in the end? Careers are fun and you can work your butt off for them but the moment you turn 60, or even earlier, they're gone. They also don't keep you company at the end of the day. They don't share a bottle of wine with you at dinner. Nor do they walk the dog they desperately wanted and begged you days and days to get it.
Sighing again, she got up and threw a few dollar bills on her table. Giving the lovesick couple a last glance – it might have been closer to a glare, she couldn't help herself – she left the small café. Time to go to work. Even though careers weren't qualified to be someone's life partner, it was the most important thing in Spencer's life at the moment. A significant other was such a foreign concept to Spencer, she hoped being in a relationship was like riding a bike: you never forget how to do it.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the familiar tune of her mobile. She muttered a curse and took the object out of her purse. Momentarily she contemplated throwing the damned piece of technology to the ground for annoying her on her afternoon off but quickly decided against it when she remembered how much it had cost her. She glanced at the caller-id. Beverly.
Beverly Michaels had been Spencer's assistant for roughly six months now. When the young girl came knocking on Spencer's office door she was fresh out of college and desperately trying to find a job so she could afford a nice apartment in the city. Spencer never would have hired her if it weren't for the panic attack Beverly went through when Spencer told her she was a bit too young around the edges for her to be a top-lawyer's assistant. Apparently Spencer was Beverly's last hope before she had to return home and become a waitress at the local diner. Even though the older woman knew this was a bit too much like the movies for it to be true, she admired Beverly's persistence and originality. She called the young girl a day later to inform her she had to be at the office at 8. Not a minute later.
"Yes Beverly?"
"Hello Miss Carlin." A chipper voice came from the other side. Her little act to get the job withstanding, Beverly was quite an honest young lady and at times even shy. But Spencer didn't care. She got the job done. More or less.
"How many times have I told you to just call me Spencer?" The girl wouldn't stop calling her Miss Carlin, which reminded Spencer of two things: that she was single and that she wasn't getting any younger if someone who was but a few years younger called her Miss Carlin. She was only 29 years old for crying out loud!
"Yes, right Miss Spencer."
Spencer rolled her eyes but wisely decided to drop the matter. "What do you want Beverly? I've got the afternoon off." No one was supposed to disturb Spencer when she had a moment off. Not having the chance to take an afternoon off in the middle of the week often, she was a little irritated for the interruption.
"Well Miss--"
"Spencer." One last try wouldn't hurt, would it?
"Miss Spencer," Apparently it would. "Ah, your three o'clock is waiting in your office. Only glitch is that you're not here to… uh, do lawyer-y stuff."
So that's how lawyers were described these days. They did lawyer-y stuff. Where were the good old days when Spencer would've been called a bloodsucker?
She got back to the current conversation and tried remembering what on earth Beverly meant. "Three o'clock…" She muttered and racked her brain trying to find what appointment Beverly was talking about.
"Beverly, I have no appointments this afternoon. I've got Jack tomorrow morning at 9 but other than him I've nothing."
"Well Miss…"
"Wait, don't tell me you forgot to add this appointment to my schedule." Spencer sighed and rubbed her temple. She hated standing up clients, whether it was her own fault or her assistant's misdoings.
"Uh, well then I won't."
"Good answer. But Beverly, I told you I was taking this afternoon off and also told you not to put any appointments on this afternoon."
"I know but this person was quite determinate and when I tried telling them you would be out of the office for the remainder of the day they said to put them up today at 3 o'clock and that they would deal with your wrath of being disturbed on your afternoon off."
Spencer was a little shocked by the fact a client would go so far they'd be willing to take her wrath. Made her feel a bit like a rockstar. "Okay tell the person I'll be there in ten minutes. I'm not too far from the office."
"Alright Miss Spencer."
"Yes Miss Beverly." And at that Spencer ended the conversation and stuffed her mobile back into her purse. To the office, Robin.
Chapter 2
"Miss Spencer! You're here." Beverly said with a slightly stunned look on her face. Who was she expecting, Santa Clause?
"Well yes Beverly, you did call me about five minutes ago practically ordering me to come back to the office. On my afternoon off." Spencer couldn't help herself from bringing that up – it really annoyed her.
The young woman was a bit distracted by Spencer's comment and started fiddling with a pencil. "Uh, Miss I can't order you to do anything. You're my boss Miss Sp-"
"Beverly!" Spencer sighed and felt a headache coming up. This wasn't how she imagined today. Suddenly sitting in a small café alone wasn't such a bad concept. At least if she was alone no one could aggravate her with mindless trivia. Reaching over her assistant's desk, she grabbed the pencil and carefully put it down. "Now do tell, who scared you so much that you got the guts to ask me to come back in?"
"Well Miss Spencer, she's uh in your office already. She said she was tired of wasting her time in the, and I quote, 'room you use to drive your clients crazy with absurd colour combinations and boring paintings so they would just pay up and leave before ever stepping foot in your office.' " Beverly briefly held up a post-it that contained what the client said and gave a small smile. "She really is persuasive. I think it's her mean look that does it."
"Right." Spencer took the file Beverly was holding out for her and put on her glasses. She slowly took a few steps back and did a 180 when she thought she put enough space between herself and Beverly's desk. Throwing Beverly a last look, she quickly made a beeline for her office. Sometimes Spencer really thought her assistant was dropped on her head when she was a child.
She opened the door while looking at the first page in her folder containing the main information about this client. "Good afternoon…" She paused and scanned the sheet for a name. When her eyes fell upon the field 'Name' she gasped and double checked what was written down. Surely it couldn't be… She peered above her glasses at the woman who sat in her own chair at her desk. "Shit…" She might have grown a bit and gotten more mature over the years but the glint she had in her eyes erased every doubt in Spencer's mind about who this mystery client was. "Ashley."
"Hiya Spence." Ashley replied not bothering to get up. The damn chair was too comfortable. She put her feet up on the desk to get even cosier.
Spencer still stood in the doorway of her office starring at someone who she hadn't seen or heard of in 10 years. Someone she thought was pursuing her dreams or at least having a good time back in LA. Someone who she didn't expect to turn up at her office one day. And yet, here she was.
In the back of her mind, Spencer silently hoped she wasn't drooling because whether she liked to admit it or not, Ashley looked good. Great even. She spun around when she felt a tap on her shoulder and jumped slightly when Beverly's face appeared right in front of her.
"Are you alright Miss Spencer?" Beverly asked concerned. The young woman got worried when her boss had just been standing in her office's doorway for about three minutes.
"Uh… yes. I'm fine. I just… uh, yeah. Fine." Spencer glanced around trying to compose herself. She cleared her throat and put a smile on her face. "I'm fine Beverly." She waved her assistant back to her desk, turned around and shut the office door. She swiftly walked to where Ashley was lounging and ticked the other woman's feet, indicating she should put them down. Reluctantly Ashley put them down, but not without giving the blonde an impish grin. However she did remain seated in the oversized office chair.
"So Spencer, nice place you got here." The brunette casually said when all she got from Spencer was a pissed off look. She dared to look up and was not surprised to see Spencer roll her eyes.
"Ashley, what the hell are you doing here?" She never liked to beat around the bush with idle chitchat. Getting straight to the point was the way for Spencer.
"What? No 'hello Ashley'? Or a 'how are you, how have you been'? Come on Spencer! You were better raised than that."
"I was better raised than you, that's a fact." Spencer retorted and threw herself in one of the chairs in front of the desk when she realized Ashley wasn't going to move an inch.
"Ouch! Down Cujo, we haven't gotten to 'bring up the past' round just yet. That comes right after 'fighting in jello' round, remember?"
"God Ashley, I see you haven't fished your mind out of the gutter yet." She grabbed Ashley's file and opened it again.
Ashley sighed this time and sat up straight. She flicked her fingers to get Spencer's attention and looked her straight in the eye. "Contrary to what you may think, I didn't come here to start an argument or to get on your nerves. I'm here for your help."
Spencer snorted but continued reading the file anyway. It wouldn't kill her to just read the thing.
"Look, put that boring looking file you got there down and listen to me. I'm sure whatever Miss Money Penny wrote down on that thing is way off cause she asked me fifteen times to repeat whatever I said."
Not wanting to admit that her assistant might be a little slow sometimes, Spencer just looked up but didn't close the file. She motioned for Ashley to start explaining. The blonde leaned back and listened to what the other woman had to say.
"Alright. Good. So where to start?"
Chapter 3
"Well I guess the beginning would be good. So when we graduated and you dumped me-"
"Because you cheated on me."
"Right. Not concerning the matter at hand Spence, so no need to bring that up." She got up and started walking around the office. The last thing she needed was Spencer giving her the evil eye when she was explaining her little situation. Well little… "Anyway, I went to college. But that didn't really work out. So I started travelling until that got boring and I wasted enough of my dad's money. After a while I decided to open a bookstore. Yeah, I can hear you thinking, Ashley, books? No way."
"Actually I'm thinking when on earth you're gonna get to the point of this little story. I don't need to know your entire life Ashley, I have magazines for the life story of drama queens."
Ashley sighed and turned around. She ran a hand through her hair. "Bitch 'r' you, huh Spencer?"
"When it comes to you, yes. So either get to the point or stop wasting my time." Spencer really didn't have the energy for this. And Ashley beating around the bush didn't help her mood. Every second more the brunette was in the same room as herself aggravated her more and more.
"In that case, I guess I was wrong when I thought that you could put the past behind us when I come to you for help." Ashley grabbed her purse and walked towards the door.
Spencer watched Ashley go and kicked herself over the head for acting so childish. This wasn't high school anymore. She wasn't teenager Spencer anymore. If Ashley was still teenager Ashley was something that could be debated about. Either way, there was no need to resort to such behaviour. "Ashley wait…" She got up and walked to Ashley. "I'm sorry, that was uncalled for." She easily slipped into her professional behaviour and took the other woman's wrist, practically dragging her to the chair she had just vacated. She pushed Ashley down. So maybe her professional image still had a few cracks here and there. "Now, continue."
Ashley just raised her eyebrow at Spencer, wondering what just happened. One minute she wants the brunette out and the other minute she wants to know what's going on. Talk about mood swings.
When the blonde noticed Ashley wasn't planning on saying another word, she added "Please." This seemed to relax Ashley a little and she sat her purse on the desk, leaning back in the chair.
"Well. As I was explaining-"
"Ashley."
"Spencer." Ashley shot Spencer a wicked grin and shook her head. "Too easy. Either way, this is the bottom line. I want a divorce from my wife but I need to know if I can keep my store without the bitch talking half of it with her to Nova Scotia."
"Nova…" Spencer trailed off, not believing her own ears.
"Scotia. Or Alaska. Or fuck, the south pole for all I care Spencer, that's not exactly important is it?"
"Oh you were joking." Spencer closed her eyes and mentally she went over the words Ashley spoke, taking out the important stuff. "Married?"
Ashley raised an eyebrow at Spencer's question but answered what she thought would be the thing that Spencer needed to know. "Not a joke."
"Divorce?"
"Reality in so many families, wouldn't you say?"
"So you're married to a woman and you want to divorce her and you want to keep your bookstore."
"The law passed years ago when that idiot got kicked off the throne and Hilary took over so this is a legal marriage. I'm perfectly capable of owning a store and if I may say so myself, I run it quite well."
Spencer cleared her throat. "If it's yours I don't see what the problem is, Ashley. Well beside the divorce, that is."
"Spencer, Spencer. You didn't get to be a lawyer by being this dense, did you?"
"Ashley." Spencer warned the other woman, indicating she was on thin ice as it was.
The brunette held up her hands. "Sorry. My bad. What I meant was, when we got married I gave her half. I wasn't planning on divorcing her sorry ass three years later."
"I see. So the store is half yours and half hers?"
Ashley nods.
"Well what do you want me to do about it?"
"Do lawyer-y stuff so I can get my damned store back! She's threatening to take half of it with her when she leaves next month with that little nerd of hers. Damnit Spencer, you're a bloodsucking lawyer type – suck already!"
Spencer inwardly smiled but her face remained the same. Leave it to Ashley to offend her job twice in the same sentence. "Well there might be a chance to force her to give up her share by trying to convince the judge that basically you are the reason the store is running this good. If you can show you started it and made it to what it is now without her help, you might just get enough leverage to make the judge rule in your favour."
"So what do you need for that?"
This time Spender did smile, but it was more of a mocking smile she directed at the brunette. "Hold on Speedy, who said I'm going to help you?"
Ashley grinned and leaned forward, putting her elbows on the desk. "Because whether you want it or not, you can't just turn your back on me. I know you're good, dare I say great so I know I have a shot if I leave my case in your hands. So stop fooling yourself and just tell me what you need and I'll get it to you ASAP."
Spencer couldn't believe it. Ashley just blatantly assumed she was going to take her case. No thinking about it involved. That she was right, was beside the point of course. The blonde fumed at the audacity the brunette had. "Still got that pesky attitude problem huh?" She grunted out when she couldn't come up with a proper comeback. She should be used to this by now – Ashley always had a way of pushing the right buttons.
"I'll take that as a yes." A triumphant smile spread across Ashley's face and she gave Spencer a wink for good measure.
Spencer rolled her eyes at Ashley's little victory action and hit the speed dial for the internal line on her phone. "Beverly?"
"Yes Miss Spencer?"
"Miss Davies is going to stroll by your desk in a minute and when she does grab her by the ankles and arrange another appointment, will ya?"
"By… the ankles Miss Spencer?"
"The ankles." Confirmed Spencer and hit the 'end' button of the phone. "I'll let you know what I need later this week."
"Ankles Spencer? Please, Miss Money Penny would rather crack a whip at me. I've seen that glint in her eyes!" The brunette got up and blew a kiss at Spencer. "Until the next time, sweet cheeks."
Spencer threw her pen at the departing woman and let the smile that had been fighting to get through spread across her face. Ashley never stopped to amaze her.
"Oh and I know you're smiling, by the way. I've always loved your smile." Ashley said just before slipping out of the office, ready to take on a rumble with Spencer's assistant.
Chapter 4
It had been a week since Ashley sauntered into Spencer's office and so back into her life. In that week Spencer tried finding reasons for why she agreed to take Ashley's case. They varied from sympathy to being drugged by the brunette. None made much sense in the bigger picture and she quickly realized this had nothing to do with manipulations. The reason she caved was that she had missed Ashley over the last ten years or so. Sure she had friends in College and some might have been what you would call good friends but no one came close to Ashley or to the bond they shared. Emphasis on the past tense, they weren't sharing anything anymore. Spencer was a believer of leaving the past alone and focussing on the future but sometimes events that happened years ago could be burned in your memory forever and would haunt you on the weirdest moments. Like say, when a certain brunette strolls into your life and decides, unintentionally maybe, to act like a tornado through your carefully built life.
Yeah, she was in for a ride alright.
"Miss Spencer?" Beverly asked, as she hooked her head around the door so she could see her boss.
"Yes?"
"Miss Davies is here to see you."
"Let her in." The blonde automatically sat up a little straighter and threw her business face on. She wouldn't be fooled twice. It was time to let Ashley know she was here purely for business and business only.
The door opened wider and Beverly gestured Ashley inside.
Ashley smiled and winked at the assistant. Hey it was in her nature to be flirty. She couldn't help it. "Why thank you Miss Money Penny."
Spencer rolled her eyes. Who was she kidding. Ashley all business? She had a bigger chance of Beverly calling her Spencer.
"Uhm sure Miss Davies." Blushed the young woman. Never in her life had she met someone so brass.
"Please, call me Ashley."
"Fat chance." Muttered Spencer and almost choked on her coffee when she heard Beverly utter a soft 'Ashley'. She groaned and threw her hands up. Unbelievable! "Beverly!" She yelled and waved her out. "Go! Work!"
"Yes Miss!" And with that her assistant had left her office and Ashley had the biggest smirk on her face she had ever seen.
"What?" The brunette asked innocently. Even innocent borderlined slutty with Ashley.
"Sit." Spencer ordered. She took a file from a stack and opened it. "I was surprised you actually delivered everything I asked for."
"Well Spence, this might come as a shock to you, but that store is all I have. So I'd do anything to get it back." She got up and walked around the desk to where Spender was sitting. Placing her hands behind her, she jumped up on the desk and smiled sweetly. "So am I gonna get my store back?"
Spencer raised an eyebrow but had to hold back her own smile. "I need to set up a meeting with your wife and her counsellor, see if she would settle so we don't need to take this to court."
"Right." Ashley laughed. "The only thing she'd settle for right now is me six feet under. Rather strange as I'm the innocent party in all this."
"What exactly happened anyway between the two of you?"
"None of your business Miss Carlin?"
"Make it my business Miss Ashley or you'll be finding yourself without a lawyer. I need to know so I can confront her with it, smartass."
Ashley patted Spencer's shoulder. "Just kidding. To make a long story short, she met this really nerdy guy at the store, he always comes in to buy computer books and whatnot. He apparently rekindled her love for the male species or some shit like that and to put it in her words, 'we had a connection!'. I translate that into, 'our weekly connection was in our bed when you were out on your bowling evening.' The joy."
"Bowling Ashley?"
"No need to be so judgemental Spence, I have feelings too." Ashley glared at her ex-best friend but quickly took away any menace the look might have had by smiling. "I'm pretty good at it, actually. If you don't believe me, I could always show you." She wiggled her eyebrows knowing she'd get a rise out of Spencer with it.
"Ashley." Worked like a charm, as always. Just the tone she used to say the brunette's name made Ashley tingle inside. How she had missed this.
"How about dinner?"
"No."
"A girl's night out then? Me, you, alcohol and wherever the night decides to take us?"
"No."
"Lunch?"
"No."
"Brunch?"
God, they could go on forever like this. "No."
"Breakfast?"
"I don't eat breakfast."
"But Spencer, that's the most important meal of the day. How can you? Anyway, midnight snack?"
"No."
"Casual sex then?"
"Ashley!" Spencer smacked the other woman's shoulder and had a look of utter astonishment on her face. Of course mixed with a smile because it was funny.
"I'll take that as a no as well then. Oh well, can't blame a girl for trying now can you?" She jumped off the desk and started moving towards the door. "Let me know when you want that meeting with Cruella. I'll check my schedule and see if I don't have an attack planed against her on that day."
Spencer sighed but chuckled. It seemed Ashley still had the unique ability to make Spencer laugh with the most absurd things and beyond. It was one of the reasons why she fell in love with the brunette. "I'm sure you'll be able to postpone your personal little bitchslap." Throwing the brunette one last genuine smile, she hid behind her laptop and started looking over case files. She heard Ashley snigger and then the sound of her door opening and closing. Once again Ashley had left Spencer with the resurface of old feelings and thoughts. If only she knew how to stop them. Or if possible, react to them. But how could she? Trust was a risky thing. And quite frankly, Ashley parked her bulldozer on Spencer's trust for the brunette effectively crushing it. So perhaps the first step was learning how to trust Ashley again. That meant asking Ashley's keys for her bulldozer.
Chapter 5
Ashley pushed the glass door open and took a look around. At a table in the back she spotted a certain blonde. In a few quick steps she was standing next to said blonde wearing a smile. "You're early."
"You're late." Spencer said and closed her newspaper.
"Tomato, tomahto." She waved a waiter over and give him her order. "You want something Spence?"
"I'm good."
The young man left to get Ashley's order.
"So. I'm glad you came." Ashley said after a moment.
"We have a meeting in half an hour with your wife and her counsellor. Of course I came. It's what you pay me for."
The brunette sighed. "Spencer, would you put that needle away. It's bursting my bubbles."
Their conversation was disturbed by the waiter who brought Ashley's latte. "Thanks."
"You really think this is a date?" Spencer asked flabbergasted. She should've known Ashley would think more of it than what it really was.
The brunette smirked and sipped her drink. "Not a date per se, Spence."
"Good."
"More of a test run."
"Excuse me?" Spencer raised her eyebrow and momentarily pondered if her eyebrow would get stuck one day, what with all the eyebrow raising she had to do when Ashley was around.
"Well you know, if you can do this you can surely survive lunch with good ol' me. Now THAT would be a date." The brunette grinned cheekily.
Spencer didn't know what hit her. Here she was as a lawyer, doing her job, with a client and that same client was not only flirting with her, she was also assuming this was a date. It was to be expected that having Ashley as her client would've been an experience that she would never forget. "You're pretty damn sure of yourself, Ash."
"Nah." Looking Spencer straight in the eyes, she added "I just see the way you look at me." She got up, threw a few bills on the table and took a baffled Spencer's hand to drag her along. "Time to meet the ex."
"Miss Davies, Miss Carlin. My name is Walter Maybourne and I'm Miss Parker's attorney." A tall skinny man said. He took his briefcase and took out several folders.
"You know him?" Ashley whispered in Spencer's ear, sending chills all over the blonde's body. And those weren't the cold kind of chills. Not trusting her own voice, she shook her head.
"I am to understand this is just a meeting to see what both women want." Maybourne asked Spencer.
"Indeed." Spencer took a piece of paper and slid it over to the man. At his side sat Ashley's soon-to-be-ex-wife, Angie Parker. When she noticed she was sending Ashley some nasty glares, Spencer looked beside her and saw Ashley was pretty much doing the same thing. She kicked Ashley under the table and shot her a look that said 'cut it out'. The brunette sent her own back that clearly stated, 'she started it!'
In the meantime Angie had stopped her deathmatch with Ashley. She was discussing Spencer's proposal with her lawyer. "I'm afraid we can't except this." Maybourne said.
"It's absurd!" Angie claimed.
"Absurd? I just want my damn store back!" Ashley responded angry.
Spencer sighed. She could sense a bitchfight from a mile away.
"Half is legally mine. And I don't intend to give it back to you!" Angie pouted. Spencer was even sure she was holding herself back from sticking out her tongue at Ashley. Where did Ashley meet this woman? Pre-school?!
"Why not, you Malibu Stacey copy?"
"Because I don't want to, you dyke!"
"Oh, hurtful comeback, genius. What, your nerd didn't teach you any binary insults?"
"Binary?" Angie asked confused.
"Un-fucking-believable." Muttered Ashley and put her head between her hands.
Maybourne packed his things together and together with Angie got up. "I guess we'll be seeing you in court then."
"Fine." Spencer replied. When they left she turned to Ashley and smacked her upside the head. "Did you have to pick a fight with her, you moron?"
"Hey! I resent that. And secondly, ow!" The brunette sulked and rubbed the spot Spencer just hit.
"Don't be a baby. I didn't hit you that hard."
"You weren't the one that got hit, so you can't possibly know it didn't hurt."
"I wasn't the one acting like a five year old either."
"Pout."
They both got up and left the office.
"So for that nasty bitchslap, I think I deserve a non-date-y lunch."
"I hardly touched you. I'm sure you didn't suffer any braindamage."
"How would you know, huh Doctor Carlin?"
"Cause I got it on good authority that you got no brains in that head of yours, honey."
The second the term of endearment left Spencer's mouth, the blonde blushed and cursed herself for letting that slip. That wasn't supposed to come out. It had been something she used frequently to call the other woman. Spending time with Ashley again must've triggered some subconscious response mechanism. Or whatever excuse she could come up with so she didn't have to admit the real reason. Out of the corners of her eyes, she dared to look at Ashley.
The brunette still had a look of shock on her face. "Did you just ca-"
"Lunch?" Spencer asked with a high pitched voice. "Good. I know a good place." She started walking quicker and hoped Ashley's short term memory was affected by the blow Spencer gave her.
Ashley smiled. Lunch and her favourite nickname? This would be what they call a good day. A good day indeed.
Chapter 6
"So you have to tell me – where on earth did you meet that pre-puberty makeup doll?" Spencer asked after she took a bite from her hamburger. After Ashley found out where Spencer was taking her, she insisted going to a diner instead. Spencer caved of course. Who was she to say no? After all, Ashley had a little thing to forget. So if it took feeding the brunette greasy hamburgers, Spencer would feed her greasy heaps of fake meat.
"True story. I met her in the supermarket. We both grabbed the same box of tampons and before we started a bitchfight right there in aisle five, we decided upon sharing the box. And well, one night you're sharing tampons and the next your screwing each other's brains out. Before you know it, you've got a ring on your finger telling the world your hers."
Spencer gave Ashley a sceptical look. She wondered if the brunette had escaped a mental institution recently. "How about the truth now, you clown."
Ashley popped a fry in her mouth and smiled. "Three words then. Pub, drunk and."
"And what?"
"What? I said three words. Count them and weep, babe." Ashley laughed and ducked a fry. "No foodfight, Miss Carlin! We're not in high school anymore in case you hadn't noticed."
"Shut up." Spencer smiled and looked down, avoiding Ashley's eyes. Whenever the brunette would tease her she would get this look in her eyes. It would resurface a lot of feelings Spencer wasn't ready to face yet. Or maybe to scared to face.
"So Spence, can I ask you something?" Ashley hesitated. Maybe right now wasn't the right time. She didn't want to break up the easy vibe they had going on. But she desperately needed to get this out before it drove her crazy.
"Sure. Unless it's sex. No sex until at least a third date!"
"Damnit!" Ashley laughed but quickly sobered up. "All kidding aside, Spencer. I…" She took a deep breath. Wow, this was gonna be harder than she initially thought. Apparently practicing this in front of a mirror was a lot easier than doing this in person. But Ashley wasn't one to chicken out. Time to get it over with. "Look, I know I hurt you big time. Major time, even. But, lately, I've just… been wondering, hoping that, I guess, one day you could forgive me?" She intended it to be a statement but it came out as a question instead.
Spencer gave a quiet sigh and washed down her food with some ice-tea. "What you did to me, it was downright bitchy. I mean, I got burned by it real bad." Seeing the disappointed look on the brunette's face, she decided to tap into those feelings she was experiencing all over again instead of just ignoring them. Reaching over she took Ashley's hand. "But I forgave you probably when I saw you sitting in my office, looking your cocky self. I don't know what did it but I'm glad it… did." Frowning at her own words, she shook her head and dismissed it with a smile.
Ashley smirked and sat up proud. "I always knew my assets would come in handy one day."
Spencer laughed. "Doof! Will you ever change?"
Getting serious but wearing a smile, Ashley asked slyly. "Do you want me to?"
The blonde gave it a quick thought and shook her head. "Probably not, no."
"Cool." Ashley then noticed Spencer was still holding her hand and it didn't look like she was planning on letting go. And neither was she. She loved feeling the texture of Spencer's skin again. "So do tell, what mischief did you get up to over the years?"
Spencer smiled. "Moi? Mischief? Never. I was pretty tame. I went to college, got good grades, graduated early and immediately got a steady job. I never did the wild thing in college."
"You lie!" Ashley exclaimed. "I cannot for a second believe you were innocent to the bone. Especially seeing you right now, no way." The brunette shook her head and leaned back in her chair, but not too far as she didn't want to release the other woman's hand.
Spencer grinned evilly. "Why Miss Ashley, what view might you have of me then?" She drawled in a southern accent.
"Ohhh, let's see. I can dig the good grades. You don't make it to top shot lawyer solely on good looks. And we both know you got that down to a pat." Spencer blushed but Ashley let it slide and continued. "But tame? Innocent? No siree bob. I think you got to do a lot of shit. You kept up your little 'I dress innocent so I am innocent' front for the mama and the papa but secretly you were probably wearing something sleazy underneath it in case one of your girls called for a serious night out. Your brothers probably saw through that but like they would've ratted you out – they were having their own share of trouble. Am I close?"
Spencer shrugged and grinned. "Who knows. But please, go on. I'm quite intrigued now."
"I bet you are." Ashley smirked. "Where was I? Ah yes, mischief. So just answer a few questions so I can get a little more info. You need to throw me a bone here."
"Alright."
"Ever been arrested?"
"No. I never went that far, Ash."
"Lies. You probably were close but a friend stuck out her neck for you. How would it look on campus if a law school student got busted by the cops? I'm thinking… party gone wild and the blues got in between. And when I say wild, I mean, w-i-l-d."
Spencer snickered. Ashley always had a knack for getting to the bottom of someone's trouble sheet. "I plead the fifth."
"Yeah, I'll take that as a straight yes." She rubbed her hands and grinned. "What side did you end up taking interest in anyway?"
"Side?"
"Boys, girls, both?"
Spencer smiled. "I wasn't into labels back then, remember?"
"Ah that stuck huh? Good. So ever found yourself in the middle of a threesome?"
"Ashley!"
"Now that I can take as a no. You were just taking one at a time then?"
"I can't believe you're asking me this." The blonde put her head in her hand. "You are officially nuts. But for the record, who said I was getting busy?"
"Like you weren't?" The brunette raised an eyebrow and put on her 'come on' look.
"Fine. So I was getting some. Sue me, I wasn't the only one, I'm sure." She pointedly looked at Ashley.
"Oh, I got real busy. But somehow they never got close to you."
"We never got that far, Ash."
"I know."
Spencer duck her head. This was getting too close to those feelings she was trying to avoid. Time to escape. She released Ashley's hand and looked at her watch. "I gotta go. I have an appointment in half an hour."
Ashley scolded herself for taking the conversation just a tad too far. Why on earth did she had to say that? She refrained from slapping herself on the forehead. No need for Spencer to see that. "Okay."
The blonde got up and took out her wallet and placed a few bills on the table. She looked down at Ashley and smiled. "I had a great time."
"Me too."
"Maybe we should do this more often."
"I'd like that."
"Good. I'll call you this week to arrange a date for court." She leaned down and softly kissed Ashley's cheek. "Bye Ashley." She whispered in the brunette's ear and swiftly left.
Ashley watched her go with mixed feelings. In a way, she chided herself for creating the tension at the end but then she felt the kiss Spencer had given her and she couldn't help but think maybe today was a step in the good direction. She just hated the waiting. Then again, if the waiting was worth it, she was good with the waiting.
Chapter 7
Ashley stepped out of the elevator and took a quick look around. When no one was in sight, she sprinted to a nearby desk and hid behind it. God she hoped no one was in.
"Miss Ashley?"
Curse that damned assistant! Why wasn't she on her lunchbreak like every other employee in this building? The brunette removed her head from her hiding spot and looked around again. She spotted Beverly at her desk wearing a very confused look. She gave the woman a little wave and laughed nervously. "Hiya Bev. How's things?"
"Good. Are you alright?"
"I'm fine! Peachy! Say, you don't happen to know if Spencer is in her office? Cause if she isn't, no biggie, I'll just leave and-"
"Ashley! Get your bigass butt in here right this minute before I have to physically drag you in here and hurt you – big time!" They suddenly both heard.
Busted in the second degree. Ashley sighed but that quickly turned into a pout. "I don't have a bigass butt!" She yelled back and mumbled "Don't insult my tushy, Spencer." She stood up and slowly left her hiding spot. Avoiding Beverly's eyes she just walked past to Spencer's office door. "Wish me luck."
"Uh sure."
The brunette opened the door and put on a dazzling smile. Maybe this would distract the little blonde. "Spencer! My darling!"
But Ashley's little ploy didn't appear to be working. Spencer glared at the brunette with every fibre in her body and then some. "I cannot believe you."
"Me neither." The brunette muttered to herself and dropped herself in a chair. She braced herself for what was to come. This was gonna be one tough ride. She'd be lucky to be semi alive by the time she left this place.
"Is it really that hard for you to be on time? Seriously, have you ever heard of an alarm clock?" Spencer got up and started pacing. How was she going to explain this one to the judge? 'Sorry we failed to show up in court because the concept of an alarm clock is too complex for my client to grasp?'
"I'm sorry Spence."
"Sorry my ass!"
Ashley couldn't help letting her eyes wander down to said ass. It was a nice ass, you know. Who wouldn't ogle it? She quickly snapped her eyes back north when she heard Spencer clear her throat. Up north there were assets as well worth ogling. Maybe later. Like when Spencer wasn't shooting daggers at her with her eyes.
"So where were you anyway?"
"The truth or the white lie that will make us both feel a lot better?"
"The truth, you dimwit!" The blonde growled and threw another glare at her.
"Yes. Well you see, I went for a drink last night and I got home rather late so I kinda woke up late. Just a little! But a little… too late."
"You've got to be kidding me." Spencer walked to where Ashley was sitting and loomed over Ashley. She put her hands on the armrests and forced Ashley backwards. "So you're telling me that the reason we missed our court date is cause you went out for a drink and ended up smashed beyond believe?"
"Uhuh." The brunette nodded and hoped the fear was visible in her eyes so the blonde would cut her some slack. Ashley isn't one to be intimidated but damn, this petite woman had one mean look! The phrase 'Napoleonic power monger' came to mind. "What can I do to make it up to you? Dinner? Dinner by candlelight? A romantic walk down by the water? A weekend in Paris? What? Tell me and you'll-"
But Ashley couldn't continue her ramble as Spencer cut her off with her own lips. The feel of Spencer's lips on her own after all this time short-circuited her brain in no time. She wasn't even sure what her name was. Annie? Agnes?
The blonde pulled back after a minute or so and smirked at the shocked expression on Ashley's face. "I knew that would one, shut you up and two, get you all shook up."
"Gah…"
Spencer laughed and lightly slapped Ashley's face. "Wake up. You're not dreaming and this isn't a nightmare where I turn into some evil monster, about to eat you."
Ashley smiled goofily and dropped her head on Spencer's arm. "Sure, whatever you say Spencer."
"Like pudding in my hand." The blonde laughed softly and took Ashley's hand to pull her up. "Come on girl, let's go get something to eat. After that you can explain to judge Henderson why you were late."
"Can I say a hot blonde jumped me when I walked in my apartment and ravished me alive?"
"No Ashley, you can't. She won't believe you." Spencer caught Beverly's raised eyebrows when passing by and decided to have a little fun with her assistant. "But maybe you could show her those scratch marks you got on your back. I'm sure that will tip the scale in your favour."
The brunette laughed and winked at Beverly. "Hot monkey sex, Bev. You should look into it!" And with that the two left the young woman alone in the room, with some very impure thoughts. How those two always managed to make her head think the strangest things was beyond her. She shook her head and briefly wondered what the hell she was still doing here? It was lunch hour for crying out loud!