Chapter Twenty Three: Everywhere I Go

Spencer's POV

Danger
Will follow me now
Everywhere I go
Angels
Will call on me
And take me to my home
These tired eyes just want to remain
Closed

"Ashley… wake up baby" I lay my body against hers. "Please God don't take her"

I hear Kyla's hysterical cries behind me.

"Ashley! Ashley no…", she screams behind me.

I touch Ashley's wound and I swear I can physically feel it. My heart feels like it completely stopped.

It's not supposed to go like this.

She's not supposed to die like this.

I've lost everything… I can't lose her.

Shots ring out in the hallway and we all turn to the doorway. Aiden sends his men out to investigate. I feel him grab my shoulder, but I just tighten my grip on Ashley.

"You would totally be my Bonnie" Ashley looks up and raises an eyebrow to me.

/

"We should get a map", a fourteen year old Ashley suggests. Tonight we are sleeping behind a random grocery store.

"For what?" I ask while biting off a piece of beef jerky. I hold it out to Ashley and she takes a bite.

"For when we leave here"

"Where would we go?"

"Somewhere happy"

/

"I wouldn't let that happen to you" I wait for her to elaborate. "I'll always save you Spence"

/

He stops pulling on me and I hear shots in the room. I don't even flinch; I just keep holding Ashley and wishing for a redo.

"I love you" I whisper into her hair.

I'm being touched again, but when I look up its Kyla. She looks down at her sister and cries harder. I let her hold Ashley and look around the room. There's a group of men crowded around the door and finally one steps forward.

It's Boz.

He looks down at Ashley and falls to his knees.

"No… man… just… FUCK!" He points his gun at Aiden who is on his knees next to two large men. "You bastard!"

"No…", I finally voice. Boz looks to me and I hold my hand out for his gun.

"So you're going to finish me like you did Carmen?" Aiden sneers. "All for your little bitch"

"Her name is Ashley…" I fire off three rounds in him. I drop the gun and go to my brother who is still lying in the corner.

"More of Aiden's boys are coming", he says. "You have to get out of here. Get her to a hospital" Glen shakes his head. "I fucked up Sis… I know I did. There's nothing I can say that will bring back our family. But I love you… whether you believe it or not. I just wanted everything too much" We hear a bunch of people yelling. "You need to go now… try to save her"

"What about you?" He stares past me towards Madison. "You love her" He nods his head.

"I can't leave her… She's my Ashley", he jokes. Boz walks over to us and tosses Glen a gun.

"Aiden's guys are coming"

"I'll hold them off", Glen promises. I help him to his feet and he starts to laugh. "Remember the first time we saw Scarface? I said I wanted to go out like Tony" Everyone starts to clear out of the room and Boz carries out Ashley.

"You were always an idiot", I scoff. He looks down at me and shakes his head.

"It wouldn't have been the same" I glance at him in confusion. "We couldn't go back to the way things were. I always knew that what I did had consequences. I'm glad I got to see you though. My baby sis… If by some miracle I get into heaven Clay owes me ten bucks" I raise my eyebrow at him. "I told him you were going to grow up to be a lezzie" I joking hit him and he pulls me into his arms. "Do me a favor"

"Anything"

"Pretend that we never met like this. I want your last memory to be…"

"You fighting to keep me?" He nods his head. "I love you"

"You're just tossing those words around today", he jokes.

This is the brother I grew up with. The protective one that always made jokes that would sometimes piss off our parents.

He reaches into his back pocket and pulls out his wallet. I watch him reach in and pull out a folded picture. He opens it up and I instantly recognize the memory. It's the whole family on a camping trip. Glen's arms are draped around me and Clay. Our mom and dad are holding each other tightly.

"I've always kept it on me" A loud bang interrupts us and Glen hugs me tightly. "Run Spencer", he whispers. "I love you Sis" This time he gives me the picture and pushes me and I head out of the room. When I look back he's making his way to Madison. "I'll be seeing you soon Maddie"

"Spencer come on", Kyla is motioning me to follow her. I run behind her and turn around to see my brother in the hallway.

"SAY HELLO TO MY LITTLE FRIEND!" He yells before firing his gun. I watch him fall to his knees from the bullets. He keeps firing though and I swear I can hear him laughing.

/

(Seven Months Later)

I keep finding myself here these days.

Standing in the middle of this cemetery, talking to a ghost.

I kneel in front of the grave and trace the headstone. The letters pain me every time I touch them.

"Hey you… It's been a couple of days, I'm sorry. It just gets hard sometimes… I hope you understand. Dealing with Glen dying… and losing you. Some days it's hard enough getting out of bed. You were my best friend and you accepted me flaws and all. Just so you know I'm clean now. I know that's something you would have wanted" A single tear makes its way down my cheek. "Thank you for everything you did. I won't be back for awhile. I'm moving out of LA, too many memories. I just want to live a quiet life for a little while. Boz and Chelsea said that Rancho Cucamonga is nice. They said it's quiet there"

"I personally vote we get the hell out of California" I turn around at the sound of Ashley's voice.

"How about Europe?" Kyla suggest.

"What the hell would we do in Europe for the rest of our lives Ky?" Kyla says something back and they get into a mini argument.

"They're like cats and dogs sometimes" I say to Madison's grave. "Thank you Maddie for… well you know. Take care of my brother… tell him I love him" I can hear Madison's voice in my head. "I love you too you selfish bitch", I jokingly add.

I stand up and Ashley wraps her arms around me. She leans her forehead against my own.

"You ready to run away?" I shake my head enthusiastically and press my lips to hers. She kisses me back with just as much passion and I lose myself in the warmth of her lips. We pull away when Kyla clears her throat.

"I vote we go to Florida"

"It's all about Disneyland with you Spence"

"What's the point of having a rich girlfriend if you can't go to Disneyland?" I feel Ashley's hand brush mine and I place mine in hers.

"She makes a good point", Kyla mentions as we head back to the car. "We can totally go be tourists"

"Only retired seniors go to Florida", Ashley argues.

"Fine Ashley, where do you want to go?"

"Everywhere" She pulls me towards her and throws her arm over my shoulder. "I almost died so I should get first pick"