Well that's it, here is the very last update of Sorta Fairytale. I want to thank everyone for their encouragement and support while I have been writing this story. It has not been an easy one to tell. Many thanks.
Usual disclaimer – SoN is not nor has it ever been mine
Sorta Fairytale
Epilogue
Ashley smiled softly to herself and leant against the railing surrounding the familiar gazebo, not a thing had changed since the last time she'd been there. She tucked a lose curl of chocolate brown hair behind her ear and ran her finger over the white gold wedding band on her left hand. Anytime she was deep in thought about the love of her life her fingers sought out that ring. It made her feel connected to her wife.
She could still picture the exact moment that Spencer had slid that ring onto her finger at their wedding. It had been the most magical of days.
[Flashback]
Ashley took a deep breath and tried to keep her hands from shaking as she waited for her bride to make her appearance. At, the some would say too young, age of twenty-one Ashley Davies was about to marry her soul mate Spencer Carlin.
Ashley looked out across the scene in front of her. Behind her was the ocean, calm and as deeply blue as the eyes of the woman she was minutes away from marrying. A wooden deck had been assembled on the sand, with a long walk way which was covered in white rose petals leading up to the alter.
Behind the alter was a tall arch way made from weathered carved wood draped in panels of white silk. The minister stood in the centre, ready to join the two women in marriage. Ashley stood anxiously in her place with Kyla and Aiden beside her as her bride's attendants. Ashley had spent literally hours deciding on an outfit for the wedding. She had wanted to find an outfit that was different from her fiancé's (who would be wearing some kind of dress she'd been told) but not overly butch.
In the end Ashley had settled on a pair of tailored black pants that hugged her legs perfectly, paired with a white silk shirt, that was unbuttoned enough to show the tops of her breasts encased in a black lacy bra. Over the shirt she had a lose black tie, she knew Spencer had a particular love of ties. She had dyed her hair, getting rid of the red and blonde streaks, so it fell in mahogany brown curls around her shoulders.
There were about 100 guests all seated in white chairs resting in the sand along the raised wooden aisle that led to the alter. The guest most notably absent was Ashley's mother, Christine, who had declined the invitation as she had already booked herself a week at a spa in Nevada. Needless to say Ashley had been pretty hurt by that and was now determined that Christine would have no part of her life any more.
Next to each row of seats was an arrangement of white lilies, Spencer's favourite flowers. Ben, a friend of Ashley's, sat off to the side of the deck with his acoustic guitar, a violin and cello player playing softly while they waited for Spencer to make her entrance.
The music changed and the beautiful sounds of Sarah McLachlan's Fumbling Towards Ecstasy, being played and sung by the musicians, began to flow out across the beach. Ashley swallowed hard and turned her face to watch the place where her girl would soon appear.
She felt Spencer's presence before she saw her as was often the case when her girl was in the vicinity. Glen and Chelsea began walking down the aisle arm in arm as the music played, reaching the alter as the first verse of the song echoed across the sand.
All the fear has left me now
I'm not frightened anymore
It's my heart that pounds beneath my flesh
It's my mouth that pushes out this breath
And if I shed a tear I won't cage it Ashley felt all the air leave her lungs as her fiancé began the walk down the aisle on her father's arm. Spencer looked more beautiful than she had ever seen her. The blonde was smiling radiantly as she held tightly to her father. Arthur was every inch the proud father as he walked beside his youngest child.
I won't fear love
And if I feel a rage I won't deny it
I won't fear love
Spencer was wearing a floor length ivory silk strapless dress, that left generous amounts of the smooth skin of her back and chest on display. The dress was gathered in at the waist and then flowed out so that is swished around her legs with each step. Her skin was glowing and perfectly tanned under the afternoon sun. Spencer's sun-kissed blonde hair hung in soft waves over her bare shoulders and she had a single white lily tucked behind her right ear.
Ashley felt like she couldn't breathe, couldn't move, couldn't do anything but watch her girl glide towards her.
Companion to our demons And if I shed a tear I won't cage it
They will dance, and we will play
With chairs, candles, and cloth
Making darkness in the day
It will be easy to look in or out
Upstream or down without a thought
I won't fear love
And if I feel a rage I won't deny it
I won't fear love
Spencer was closer now, close enough that Ashley could see her eyes shining with unshed tears of joy. Spencer's smile was breath-taking in its beauty and happiness. Ashley bit her lip and beamed adoringly at her soon to be wife. Their eyes were locked intensely on one another's, expressing silently all the things they were feeling.
The people seated on that beach could all feel the overwhelming love that followed off the two women in waves. They all knew they were bearing witness to something truly special that day, a love that was as rare as it was pure and true.
Spencer winked at her fiancé and mouthed, "I love you," as she neared the alter. Ashley was too overwhelmed to do anything but beam back.
Peace in the struggle And if I shed a tear I won't cage it
To find peace
Comfort on the way
To comfort
I won't fear love
And if I feel a rage I won't deny it
I won't fear love
I won't fear love
I won't fear love...
The song ended right as Spencer and Arthur reached the alter. Arthur lovingly passed Spencer's hand to Ashley and leaned in to press a soft kiss to the young brunette's cheek, "Love you Ash, I'm proud of you," He whispered before kissing Spencer's cheek and moving to take a seat beside his wife who was blubbering into a tissue.
Ashley lovingly squeezed Spencer's hand and flashed her a blinding smile. Ocean blue eyes locked on chocolate brown with profound love flowing between them. All other people present on that beach melted away and all the two of them saw was each other.
People had told them they were too young, that they were crazy to get married at twenty-one, but Spencer and Ashley would just smile this secret little smile that was almost pitying of all the people who couldn't see what they had. Age had no bearing on the breadth of love between them. What they had was extraordinary.
The minister began the ceremony with a warm smile on his face. Ashley and Spencer couldn't tear their gazes from one another. The ceremony passed by in a blur of words and loving glances and touches. They both cried through their vows and trembled as they slipped the stunning white gold bands onto each other's fingers.
Before they knew it the minister said proudly, "All who are present today have witnessed something truly remarkable, lover eternal in the joining of two hearts, two minds and two souls in marriage. It is with great honour, by the power vested in me that I now pronounce you married. Ashley you may kiss your bride."
Ashley needed no more encouragement. She tugged on the soft hand in hers, bringing her new wife into the circle of her arms. Spencer's eyes were shining with tears of happiness as she moved her hands to her wife's hips. Ashley beamed her nose-crinkling smile and reached up to cup Spencer's cheeks in her palms.
Ashley breathed out, "I love you," before capturing her wife's lips in a kiss that was more than an action to seal their marriage. It was promise. Their lips dances sensually together as Spencer pulled Ashley closer, leaving not an inch of space between them. They kissed, complete unaware of the cheering and clapping of their family and friends. The only force on earth that could, and did, stop their first kiss as a married couple was a dire need for oxygen.
They pulled back and rested their foreheads together, both breathing heavily. Spencer locked her eyes on her new wife's and smiled a sweet, tender smile that no one besides Ashley ever had bestowed on them.
Ashley lightly stroked the smooth skin of her wife's cheek and whispered adoringly, "I love you Mrs. Carlin-Davies."
Spencer giggled and pecked her wife on the lips, "Wow does it feel good to be called that."
Ashley grinned and kissed her again, "Well I plan on you being called that for the rest of our lives so I'm glad you like it."
They kissed again and then hand in hand ran along the aisle both laughing and crying. As they reached the end of the aisle, Ashley stopped and spun her wife into her arms to kiss her again. She crushed Spencer's body against her own and hungrily took her lips in a fierce kiss.
Breaking apart to stare lovingly into each other's eyes they both smiled. They didn't need words, everything they needed to say was written in their eyes in a language only they could understand.
[End Flashback]
Ashley brought her attention back to the moment, smiling as she remember the day that Spencer Carlin had become her wife, and gazed out over the garden full of roses of every colour imaginable that were surrounding the gazebo she was in. She sighed in contentment as she breathed in the heady aroma of the roses, which was just as strong as they had been the very first time she'd been there so many years ago. This place held so many wonderful, heartfelt memories and it filled her with so much love and peace to be there again after many years had passed.
She heard footsteps approaching behind her, the soft tap of shoes on the wooden floor of the gazebo making her smile fondly. She knew those footsteps. The blonde came up beside her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Ashley smiled up into the familiar blue eyes and dropped a kiss on the blonde's cheek earning her a beaming smile and endearing head tilt.
"What are you doing out here all alone Ma?" Hannah asked softly, giving her mother's shoulder a squeeze as she held her close.
Ashley grinned up at her seventeen year old daughter, who was now a good few inches taller than her. The young blonde was still the image of her biological mother, a fact that made her brunette mother beyond happy. Hannah had grown up into a remarkable young woman. She was kind, compassionate and loving, while still having a fierce temper and strong sense of justice. In looks and personality she was every inch the daughter of Spencer Carlin.
At seventeen the oldest Davies child was about to enter her senior year of high school at good old King High and was already working towards a career as a writer. She had both her mothers' creative streaks, but instead of turning it to music or jumping behind a camera, Hannah wanted to become a writer and spent hours honing her craft. As a child she had wanted to become an actress but soon realised she'd rather write the story than act in it.
Ashley looked back out over the rose garden and felt her smile widen, "I'm just remembering Princess."
"Oh yeah? Are you thinking about Mom?" Hannah asked softly, turning her blue eyes to gaze out over the rose filled garden that held her mother's attention.
Ashley laughed softly and leaned into her daughter embrace, "Aren't I always kiddo?"
Hannah chuckled, truer words had never been spoken! "Yeah I suppose you are. This place is special isn't it?" The young blonde asked gently.
Ashley smiled fondly, her gaze seeming to be focused on something far away, a far away memory perhaps. She nodded and murmured softly, almost to herself, "Yes this place is very special. Your Mom and I came here to this winery for our tenth wedding anniversary. It was a magical night Han, perfect. Every day since the moment I met her I fall more and more in love with her, even now, but that night here under the stars I felt so much love for her I thought I would die from the intensity of it. She looked so beautiful, breath-taking. We had candles and these magical little fairy lights all around the gazebo and it looked like something out of a dream."
Hannah grinned at the loving way her mother told a story she had heard many times before. She held her mother close and let her continue her stroll down memory lane. "You look so much like your Mom, both of you are the most beautiful women I have ever seen. That night she had dressed so carefully, she wanted to impress me," Ashley chuckled and shook her head, "She never did seem to get the fact that she could wear a garbage bag and still be stunning to me." Hannah giggled and nodded her agreement.
"I felt so special knowing that such an amazing woman was mine and loved me. We ate the most delicious dinner and drank expensive wine. We talked and just enjoyed being together. I got to watch the way her eye twinkled in the candle light, the way they danced as she laughed and how they shone with love every time she locked those ocean eyes on me," Ashley paused as she became choked up.
Hannah blinked back her own tears. She knew that the love between her parents was rare, it was soul mate love. The type of love that spanned lifetimes and never truly ended. Her mothers' story was epic. She only hoped that one day she could find someone who loved her half as much as her mothers loved each other, then she would count herself lucky.
Ashley smiled tearfully up at her daughter let out a shaky breath, "After we'd eaten I pulled out a guitar and played that song I wrote for her, When I'm With You. Your Mom had tears in her eyes by the end and all I could think was how much I loved her and how inadequate that song was for expressing to her how huge my feelings for her had always been. I knew nothing about love until I met your Mom. She changed my life Han."
They stood in silence, each absorbing the words that had just crossed Ashley's lips. The sound of heavy foot steps alerted them to approaching company. They turned around to find Lucas striding towards them with a shy grin on his hansom face.
At fifteen years old Lucas was already almost as tall as his Uncle Aiden and much to everyone, but his over protective mother's, joy a varsity basketball player at King High. He had grown into a fine young man, with a calm personality much like his biological grandfather, but with a bite. He had definitely picked up Ashley's fierce temper and impatient nature. The plus side being that he had also picked up her intense protective side.
His big blue eyes, that were more blue-grey than his sisters', twinkled with mirth as he stepped up behind his mother and sister, wrapping an arm around each of the women. "So what you guys doing?" Lucas asked with a jovial grin.
"Nothing much kidlet, just getting the low down on why we got dragged here," Hannah said teasingly, nudging her mother playfully with her elbow.
"Watch it young lady or I'll cancel the weekend in San Francisco you begged us to take you to on the way home!" Ashley mockingly admonished.
"Sorry Ma, I'll be good!" Hannah said with a huge playful grin that was so like her blonde mother's. When she looked at her daughter, Ashley felt like she was seeing her wife as the teenager she first fell in love with. As she'd gotten older, Hannah's resemblance to Spencer had only gotten stronger.
Lucas planted a kiss on his mother's head and hugged her close. Ashley beamed up at her son and said, "Did you believe your sister then Luke?"
Lucas laughed and shook his head, "Nuh, not for a second Ma."
Hannah flashed her little brother a mock glare and stuck out her tongue. "Mature Han, aren't you supposed to be the big sister?" Lucas teased.
"Shut it Luke. Man are you lucky I love you little brother!" Hannah said with a smirk.
"True, lucky I love you too big sister!" Lucas beamed and looked around the garden, "This place is kinda nice Ma, it's peaceful. I bet Mom loved it when you brought her here."
"That she did," A warm, husky voice called from behind them. They all turned around to smile at Spencer as she strode towards them hand in hand with a little curly haired blonde, blue eyed girl and an elderly Golden Retriever ambling along at their side.
Oliver barked and trotted ahead of Spencer to get the pats he knew were coming from Lucas, who was the person he adored most after Spencer. Spencer chuckled and continued making her way towards her family with their youngest child, Olivia, who had just turned six.
Olivia had been conceived a year after Spencer has completed the last phase of chemo therapy and had at long last been given the all clear. She still had six monthly check ups to ensure that the cancer was truly gone, but was going strong and now seven years after treatment had ended she was still in complete remission.
That night at the hospital, the night Ashley was certain her wife had died was one of the worst moments of the brunette's life. It ranked right up there with the moment she found out her father had died in a car crash. She remembered collapsing to the floor and staring at the heart monitor and willing it to spike, flicker, anything to give her a sliver of hope that her wife would pull through.
Dr. Gratis had looked so sadly at her and whispered, "time of death" and before she could say the time Spencer's heart had started beating again. Faintly at first and then the beat became strong and steady. Spencer had remained unconscious for several days and then when she had awoken her fever had completely broken and the pneumonia was disappearing.
The weeks, months and years that followed were by no means easy, but after surviving that night hope was restored and Spencer's fight was renewed.
Spencer had completed the treatment over three years and was now totally cancer free and loving life as a stay at home mother, having retired from the film industry after she finished production on the film starring Sophia Bush and Rachel McAdams that had been put on hold when she was diagnosed. Spencer, Sophia and Rachel had all won Oscars for that film.
If you ask her though Spencer will tell you her proudest accomplishment is being a wife and mother.
Olivia, like her older siblings, was biologically Spencer's child. However, a surrogate (i.e. Kyla) had given birth. It was decided that Spencer should not risk the trauma to her still recovering body and Ashley was unable to carry a child to term due to the damage to her uterus from when she had miscarried as a teenager.
Kyla had been implanted with Spencer's eggs (which had been frozen right before she started chemo) and the sperm of an anonymous donor and eight months and three weeks later Olivia Anne Davies was born. Everyone had been very shocked that Kyla became pregnant on the first try, but took it as a sign that this was meant to be.
Olivia dropped her blonde mother's hand and bolted after Oliver, stopping briefly to get a swift kiss from her brunette mother before joining her older siblings.
Ashley stepped away from their children and quickly made her way to her wife, reaching her side just as she stepped into the gazebo. Ashley beamed her nose crinkling smile at her stunningly beautiful wife before taking Spencer in her arms and kissing her lovingly on the lips.
Ashley broke the kiss to whisper breathlessly, "Happy twentieth wedding anniversary my love. I promised you I would bring you back here for this one and ten years later I kept my promise."
Spencer laughed and kissed her wife once again, "Ah yes Sweetheart that you did. God I love you so much Ashley Davies."
"And I love you Spencer Carlin-Davies. I have been one lucky woman to get to spend the last twenty years as your wife," Ashley murmured, her lips resting against the shell of her wife's ear.
Spencer pulled Ashley against her and held her close. Both women closed their eyes and savoured the feeling of having the other in their arms. Nine and a bit years ago both were pretty much certain that they would never reach this milestone, but against all odds there they were. Three years of treatments and tests, fears, hopes, prayers and moments of almost giving up and they had made it through.
They held tightly to each other until the sound of girly giggles caught their attention. Spencer stepped out of her wife's arms, still holding tight to her hand, and walked over to her three children. Smiling fondly Spencer gently scolded, "Livy please don't pull on Oliver's ears, he's an old man now and he doesn't like it."
Olivia blushed and bowed her head, "Sorry Mommy," the little girl leaned down and kissed Oliver on the top of his shaggy head and said, "Sorry Ollie." Spencer beamed at her little girl and took a seat on one of the benches inside the gazebo.
She gazed out over the rose garden, her beautiful face serene as she took in the view that had been part of her fondest memories for the past ten years. Ashley stood beside her three blonde children and watched her wife, who in her opinion looked like an angel.
Time had only made Spencer Carlin-Davies more beautiful. At forty-one years old Spencer looked flawless. Her eyes were still clear and ocean blue, more often than not shining with mirth and love. Her hair was a luminous gold, which she now wore fairly short, it falling to rest just above her collar bone. The blonde was slightly darker than it had been when she was younger, highlighted with subtle light browns.
It had taken a long time but she had regained the curves she had lost during her cancer battle. She was now toned, with sensual curves that still drove her wife crazy. Ashley was still awe that this magnificent woman was hers.
She felt so much love for her wife and felt so very blessed that the woman before her was still around to share her life. The day she had found out her wife had cancer, Ashley had felt like dying herself. The months and years that followed that moment were tough, heart wrenching times where she had to remind herself to have hope again and again. There were many times where she had been certain that she would lose her soul mate. Not a day went by that she didn't thank God for keeping her wife with her.
Hannah scooped up her little sister in her arms and whistled to Oliver who scrambled to his feet. She kissed Ashley on the cheek and said softly, "Ma, I'm gonna take these guys to the guest house and make them a snack, give you some time with Mom."
Ashley smiled gratefully and kissed both her daughters on their cheeks before pulling her tall son into her arms. Lucas hugged her back and then walked over to kiss his blonde mother on the cheek, earning him a warm smile. Hannah followed Lucas and kissed Spencer on the forehead, holding Olivia so she could plant a sloppy kiss on her Mommy's cheek.
Spencer chuckled and beamed at her kids, giving Oliver a loving pat on the head, before they all wandered off to the guest house Ashley had booked them for the weekend.
Spencer moved her big blue eyes to meet her wife's warm brown ones. Ashley let out a sigh of happiness and crossed the floor of the gazebo to take a seat beside the blonde. Spencer leaned over and rested her cheek against her wife's shoulder, placing a few gentle kisses against the smooth skin of her neck.
Ashley grinned and wrapped her arm around her wife's slender waist. Ashley rested her head against her wife's and just held her. Both of them had content little smiles on their faces as they snuggled closer together on the narrow bench under the gazebo.
Spencer chuckled softly under her breath, causing Ashley to look down at her with a confused little smile on her lips, "What are you laughing at my darling?"
"Well I was just thinking about everything we've been through over the last twenty-four years. What a life we've had Sweetheart! So much love, joy, passion and so many memories. Each and everyday of our lives together I have fallen more and more in love with you, even when I was sure it wasn't possible to love you anymore. You are the love of my life Ashley Davies," Spencer murmured lovingly as Ashley's fingers began to trail through her silky blonde hair.
Ashley beamed and held her wife close while her fingers ran through the soft tresses of her wife's hair. She kissed the hair under her fingers and whispered, "You are my soul mate, wife, partner, lover and friend and we have shared a wonderful life together. Our wonderful family is my proudest accomplishment and I am grateful for every moment I have spent by your side. I can't wait for the next twenty years."
Spencer sat up and pulled her wife against her so she could kiss her hungrily. Twenty years of marriage, three children and a terminal illness hadn't dimmed the passion between them, it was pretty safe to say nothing ever would. Spencer moved to straddle her wife's lap, very glad her children were far away and unlikely to witness this. She wouldn't want to scar them for life!
Ashley moaned into her wife's mouth and deepened the kiss, her hands holding her wife close. Spencer smirked against her wife's lips and tangled her fingers in the long, wild curls she had always loved so much.
They kissed until they both had to break apart to breathe. Ashley tucked a lock of blonde hair behind her wife's ear and stroked her cheek softly, "So do you remember the gift I gave you the first time we were hear?"
Spencer pretended to think for a moments and then said with a devilish smirk, "Um multiple orgasms?"
Ashley's mouth dropped open and then they both started laughing, "Well besides that do you remember what else I gave you?"
Spencer's smile became tender as she murmured, "Well if memory serves my love, I believe you wrote a song for me."
Ashley grinned and nodded, "Yep I did and in keeping with tradition I have written another one for you now." Ashley kissed her wife on the forehead and stood up beside her. She walked over to the same table she had hidden her guitar under all those years ago and pulled out a CD player. Smiling sweetly she said, "I was going to play it live, but then I realised that while you hear this song I want to have you in my arms so instead I've recorded it."
Ashley hit play and stepped closer to her wife holding out her hand, "Mrs. Carlin-Davies, would you please do me the honour of dancing with me?"
Spencer lowered her lashes and gazed up at Ashley. She grinned almost shyly and took the offered hand. Ashley pulled her close so that there was no space between their bodies and wrapped her arms around her wife's waist. Spencer looped her arms around her wife's neck and rested her cheek on her shoulder as Ashley swayed them to the music. Her eyes were closed gently as she savoured the moment.
Ashley moved her lips to rest against her wife's ear and began to sing softly along with her own recorded voice,
"Baby I've been searching like everybody else
Can't say nothing different about myself
Sometimes I'm an angel
And sometimes I'm cruel
And when it comes to love
I'm just another fool
Yes, I'll climb a mountain
I'm gonna swim the sea
There ain't no act of God girl
Could keep you safe from me
My arms are reaching out
Out across this canyon
I'm asking you to be my true companion
True companion
True companion
So don't you dare and try to walk away
I had my heart set on our wedding day
I've got this vision of a girl in white
Made my decision that it's you alright
And when I took your hand
I watched my heart set sail
I took my trembling fingers
And I lifted up your veil
Then I took you home
And with wild abandon
Made love to you just like a true companion
You are my true companion
I got a true companion
True companion
When the years have done irreparable harm
I can see us walking slowly arm in arm
Just like the couple on the corner do
'Cause girl I will always be in love with you
And when I look in your eyes
I still see that spark
Until the shadows fall
Until the room grows dark
Then when I leave this Earth
I'll be with the angels standin'
I'll be out there waiting for my true companion
Just for my true companion
True companion
True companion"
Ashley let the last note fade away and then leaned into kiss her wife lovingly on her sensual lips. Spencer tightened her hold on her wife and kissed her back with an intensity that had never dimmed over the years they had spent together.
Ashley broke the kiss to look into the blue eyes that had mesmerised her since the very first time she had seen them when they were 16 years old. She beamed her nose crinkling smile and reached up to tuck some lose strands of dark blonde hair behind her wife's ear.
Spencer grinned and gazed coyly at her beautiful wife. She sent a silent prayer of thanks to whatever high power there was for giving her the last twenty odd years with the love of her life. Spencer tilted her head, her expression softening to one of pure adoration, "It has been a hell of a ride Ash, it was by no means perfect but I think we had our own version of a fairytale."
"Ah yes, our little sorta fairytale, complete with a happy ending," Ashley murmured with a tender grin for her wife.
They held each other's gaze and communicated in that beautiful, silent way that soul mates so effortlessly seem to be able to do. They didn't need words, their eyes and touch said everything that needed to be said.
Spencer bit her lip and reached up to run her thumb across her wife's full bottom lip. Ashley caught the digit in her teeth and then placed a cheeky little kiss on it. Spencer giggled and reached down to take her wife's hand in her own.
They strolled hand in hand out into the rose garden, laughing, talking softly and shooting each other shy, loving glances just as they had done when they were teenagers falling in love for the first time.
It had been an amazing journey full of love and joy regardless of the pain and trials they had faced. Maybe true love really does conquer all.
Song used in this chapter
Fumbling Towards Ecstasy by Sarah MacLauchlan
True Companion by Marc Cohen (lyrics altered slightly to better fit the story)
And that, my friends, is the end. Thank you for sharing this journey with me.