Obsession

This is the end. A lot of drama, but a sweet payoff. Thank you for the reviews, favorites, and alerts. I truly appreciate you guys sticking with this.

Enjoy.

MF

Ch. 20 - I Love You

"Ashley, you really don't want to do this," I told her in a pleading tone.

She laughed at me. Like clockwork the last couple of days. She found all of this adorable when it's really not. I've been a nervous wreck since Saturday and every time I got the chance, I told her not to do this dinner. The moment the words left my mouth, she would laugh. I know I'm being ridiculous, but this dinner? All caps disastrous, like I'm screaming at the top of my lungs. It's not a good idea; it's not even an okay idea. This was a train wreck of an idea. But Ashley was all for it.

I swear, she's beautiful, but she's out of her fucking mind.

I told her in so many ways with so many different tactics. I tried to be blunt, I tried to be distracting, I tried to be sweet, I tried to be soft, I tried to be subtle. Every time I ended with, "Not do this dinner," she would give me my smile and laugh.

Her delicate fingers were distracting as she would stroke my cheek and down to my neck where she would grip and pull me towards her. Her tantalizing lips would make me forget my resolution that we shouldn't do this dinner. Her tongue would bring a new thought out of me. The way my chest felt so full and light at the same time had me grasping her, desperate for more. When her lips would leave mine, I would feel empty, but fire would be reignited inside of me when her eyes would stare into mine. Her rich brown would calm my panicked blue, and my world felt centered.

My heart would soar and ache at the same time every time she looked at me like that. I had it bad, and the words would be on the tip of my tongue, but I would never push over that edge. I couldn't say it and for the briefest moment, I felt disappointment and shame inside of me. Her smile, though - my smile - would fill me with love and I would feel like I was flying. Everything in the world was right.

God, the way she made me feel. If my father ever took her away from me, I would... Fuck, I don't even want to think about it. Tears pricked my eyes and my chest literally felt like it was seized up in a cold death grip. I shook my head, hoping to chase the bad feeling away. Her touch instantly warmed me.

"Don't worry, my precious," she whispered against my cheek. "Everything will work out. I promise."

"You don't know the outcome of this dinner, Ash." I hate how my voice cracked when I said that. "How can you promise this?"

"Because nothing will keep us apart. You have to trust me."

"I do," I said, automatic. "My father is the one I don't trust. He's unpredictable." I shook my head and sighed. "I have a bad feeling."

"Baby," she said, nuzzling my neck with her nose. "Look at me."

My head automatically glided up and I stared at her angelic eyes. The love and warmth in her eyes had me inhaling then exhaling deep. The deep breath cleansed all the negative worries out of me. Her love still shined when I made eye contact with her again. I pulled her forward for a long kiss.

"I have faith," she whispered against my lips. "I don't believe in God, but when it comes to you, I do believe in angels and faith and all that other shit. You're it for me, Spencer. Nothing will tear us apart, okay? Not your dad, not the law, not my addictions. You're it for me. Do you understand that? You're it for me."

"I do understand that, Ash. I really do. You're it for me, too."

"Your father will see that at this dinner. Just a couple more days and he will see it firsthand. He can't tear us apart and we belong together. Until I die, you're with me."

"I'm just so scared," I whispered, pulling her into me for a tight hug. "I don't want to lose you, especially by his doing. I don't want to be away from you in any way. I'm so scared he's not going to see our commitment towards each other and invoke his right as a parent to keep me away from you. I don't see this ending good, Ashley."

"It will, Spence," she whispered into my shoulder and squeezed me tighter. "Whatever I have to do, it will end good for us. You will be mine and I will be yours. I'm not leaving you and he's not taking you away from me. Whatever I have to do, okay? What I have to do, I will do it in a heartbeat."

"I hope you're right. I hope he sees how good we are for each other. I hope all this worry is for nothing. But this bad feeling will not go away."

"What do I have to do to make you feel better? Tell me, baby. I'll bring you the moon if I have to. What do you want?"

I kissed her long and hard, putting all my desperation and need into it. "Make me feel good. Make me cherish it like it was our last time."

She shook her head, but fused her lips to mine with the same urgency as before. She lowered me down until she was fully above me. She broke the kiss and stared into my eyes for a long time. She kissed me again, full of love and need.

"This won't be the last time we're together," she whispered. "But I'll make you feel like you're the only girl in this world."

I shivered as her fingers trailed down my sides. Her touch always made me breathless. There's something about the light touches that always brought a scorching line of fire along my skin. The kicker was I only felt the heat from within. Her touch was always cool, but I felt blazes inflamed inside me. The heat inside me had me panting for more, and no matter much she exerted and tired herself out, she never stopped. All because I asked her not to. She always gave me everything I wanted.

I squeezed my eyes tighter. Her nose left puffs of air against my neck. The sensation tickled the skin below her and had me moaning with want. I arched more into her, begging for her thigh to brush against my center. I didn't want space between us. I didn't want to lose her for any reason. I didn't want her anywhere else except on top of me. I just wanted a world where it was just us. Her kisses had me slipping into that world.

A place where everything around us was black, but we were the only light. I imagined this place behind my eyelids and when I was ready to open them, I braced for that crash. This place only existed in my mind. I sometimes hated how I set myself up for failure because my fantasies were more real and enjoyable in my head. But when I did open my eyes, I gasped. We were in that world where it was just us. Ashley's blackened eyes told me as much. Everything else was dark, but we were light. The intensity of her stare stilled everything inside me. I forgot how to breathe.

She was my shining light that had me sweating. Quite literally. Her focus on me had me desperate for her kiss. I needed reassurance she was real. I needed the validation this was happening. I needed her love translated in her touches and the same with mine.

Her kisses quelled all the fears rising inside of me. There was just something about this dinner I couldn't shake, and she was doing everything I needed to bat them away. Her fingers danced down my sides. Her lips kissed every inch of my face and neck. Her tongue licked the sweat between my breasts. She lavished my breasts and caressed the skin in between. Her thigh pressed firm against my center, easing the uncomfortable pressure that pulsed against my clit. She kissed my breath away and left fire against my skin.

I couldn't lose her.

I moaned and arched more into her. "Baby, please," I begged. "Please."

She moaned back and I swear she sounded wanton. I probably wasn't helping when the heel of my foot hooked backwards and pressed against the small of her back. My wetness coated the front of her thigh. The movement had her center pressed right against my other thigh. The stimulation was driving us both crazy.

"What do you need, babe?" She panted against my lips after a long kiss. "Tell me. Do you want my fingers deep inside you or my mouth?"

I couldn't decide. "Both," I said in a low strain. I felt like I screamed but the pleasure and frustration overpowered the high-pitched tone.

I heard Ashley groan. "Fuck, babe, your voice is so sexy right now. You want both? You want to cum on my fingers and mouth?"

"Yes." I pull her in for a desperate, needy kiss.

When she pulled away, I suspected it was because she couldn't breathe. I knew I couldn't. She nodded, her curls brushing against my shoulders. Her lips attached to mine for short kisses before she snaked her body down mine. I adjusted my shoulders and stared up her ceiling as my body arched to meet her touch and sunk down the mattress when she gently pushed me down. My body was like a roller coaster, just following the waves of her hands. The more in tune my body was with her charming ways, the more convinced I am she was a snake charmer in a past life. It was great thing because the way my body felt right now was a euphoria higher than utopia.

She can't be taken away from me. Ashley fucking Davies was mine. Being with her has opened my eyes in so many different ways. The world was bigger and full of opportunities because she was by my side. She made me feel like I was my best version of myself, but every day I grew. Every day I was better because of her. She made me feel like I was beautiful and thrilling and victorious. She made me feel loved and the most important thing in this world. And I was. I was the most important thing in her world, and that's all that mattered.

"Ashley," I gasped as I felt her fingers inside of me. Her tongue was against my clit short after. "Fuck," I cried.

Her tongue alternated against my clit between a fast flicking motion and long, broad strokes. All of this depended on her pace of her fingers. If she was using two fingers with quick strokes, she was lapping juices from my clit. If she decided to go deep inside me with three fingers with slower deliberate strokes, the tip of her tongue was going top speed. I screamed and panted until my voice was hoarse. She wouldn't stop, and I didn't want her to. I humped her face and gripped her head as orgasm after orgasm hit me with intensity so strong I felt like I was an earthquake. My legs quivered as the rest of my body shivered and shook. I'm sure my screams of her name overshadowed the headboard banging against the wall. Even when I was spent, she didn't stop.

"Ash, I l..."

I didn't finish my sentence. I passed out after I took a breath because I needed the build up. Exhaustion hit me out of nowhere and all I remembered was sighing then my eyes rolling back as sleep took over. It's probably a good thing I passed out after multiple orgasms. If I didn't, I would've told her out loud I loved her.

That would've ruined everything.

~~ MF MF MF ~~

My eye twitched as I stared at my father. It's like he had no filter. Or maybe he didn't want to stop since he knew how much he was getting under my skin. I swear, he's the adult. Doesn't he know what he was doing was childish? How was it that I'm the responsible one in this room? How am I more mature than my father? Trust, all I wanted was to go down to his level and be childish, but Ashley was going to be here any minute now. She wouldn't approve and quite frankly, neither would my mother.

"Arthur, seriously, what is your problem?" My mother appeared out of nowhere, sighing.

God bless her presence because I was about to lose my temper. My father had the decency to lower his head as my mother gave him an exasperated look. I gave her a grateful smile then turned my head and waited for my father to make eye contact with me again. Once he raised his head and stared down at me, I gave him my best smug smirk. It wasn't Ashley's level, but I did my best to imitate it. His eyes immediately sharpened.

"Don't look at me like that, young lady," my father snipped at me. "I can still cancel this dinner right here and right now."

"Arthur, if you do that, I swear I will divorce you," my mother said, stepping further into the room and bypassed my father.

My father and I stared at my mother as she pulled open the refrigerator's door and started stacking ingredients for the dinner salad in her arms. She acted like what she just said was casual thing to say. Trust me, it wasn't. The word divorce was like a sin in this house. My mother's sister got a divorce and every time she was mentioned, my mother's back would stiffen and she would ignore the fact her sister was a divorced woman. She still referred to her ex-brother-in-law as brother-in-law and Aunt Penny's husband.

So, imagine both our surprise. I think this was the only time my father and I agreed on something in a long time. We probably looked the same, too. I mean, both our jaws dropped.

"Paula," my father gasped. "What has gotten into you?"

My mother whipped her head to my father and stared at him like he was the alien in this house. "Me? What has gotten into me? What has gotten into you these last couple of months? I barely know my husband. Seriously, what is your problem with Ashley?"

My father grumbled. "We're not having this discussion again."

I scoffed. "Of course. The only reason why you don't want to talk about it anymore is because you don't have a valid reason to hate my girlfriend."

"I don't have to explain myself to you, Spencer, but if you want a valid reason I'll give you one. She's a drug addict."

"Former drug addict. Get it right."

My father growled. "You better shape your tone with me. You do not talk to me that way. And case in point, Paula," my father gestured at me. "Ashley's bad influence. Spencer never treated me like this before she met her."

I had enough and slammed my hands on the counter so I could get up. "I'm done. I'm calling Ashley to cancel this. This was a notoriously bad idea."

"Spencer," my mother said, sighing but I heard the pleading in her voice.

I whirled around and threw up my hands. "What, Mom? This was pointless. He's not going to change his opinion on my relationship with Ashley even if we show him how good we are for each other. He doesn't care about my happiness."

"Like hell I don't," my father injected. "You are far too young to be this dependent on someone. Especially someone like her."

"See?" I gestured at him. "He only cares about my misery. If he cared about my happiness then would he would stop being such a dick and see how happy I am with Ashley!"

"You do not call me names!" My father yelled and started to advance towards me.

My mother held him back. I'm sure the defiant glaze in my eyes wished she hadn't stopped him. I hoped he'd try something stupid as hitting me. It would give me grounds to leave and file for emancipation. Trust me, every day was turning into an obsession about the process. If I could prove he was abusive, the better my chances.

"Why?" I yelled. "You call my girlfriend disrespecting names all the time."

He scoffed. "Drug addict is hardly disrespectful. It's an accurate description."

"Well, so is dick."

"Spencer, you are not helping," my mother growled.

"Mom, ask him if he'll ever change."

My mother sighed and turned her head to stare at my father. "Arthur?" She implored.

My father just stared at her for a long time.

I scoffed. My eyes shined in disappointment. This was just a setup for failure. I shook my head and stared him straight in the eye.

"See?" I asked, my voice cracking. "I can see it in his eyes. This was stupid. I'm always going to be in a battle with him because I'm never leaving Ashley. I'm ending this before three hours of our lives are wasted."

But I was too late. As I turned to retrieve my phone, the doorbell rang. My shoulders sagged as my parents stopped moving behind me. Their fast whispers stopped also. Fuck. Ashley was already here.

"Hey," Ashley said with my smile.

An instant calm started wash over me, but I was still a little upset. I tried to hide it with an easy smile, but it started off strained. Of course, Ashley noticed. I tried my hardest to reassure her frown by forcing my cheeks to go higher. I made sure my teeth were on full display. No such luck because the wider I smiled, the deeper her frown got. She tilted her head and immediately grabbed my hands in a gentle pull. I subconsciously closed my eyes because any physical contact with her literally put me at ease.

"Babe," she murmured. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," I said, smiling.

"Please don't lie to me," she said, softening her tone and eyes.

I sighed. I started to rub my thumb against the ridge of her hand where her thumb was. I didn't bother to hide the strained smile this time and tilted my head before pulling her close until our foreheads touched. I soaked in her warm presence as she wrapped her arms around me and squeezed long and tight. I pecked her lips and moved my head to her shoulder. I nuzzled my nose against her neck. God, she smelled good. When her nails started to scratch my back, my entire body laxed. Her embrace was my safe haven.

My argument with my father almost disappeared as I soaked in her body. I had half a mind to ask her to take me away again. This time I meant it. I would leave my mother and brother behind just to escape my father. To hell with my family. Ashley was my family now.

"What did he say to you?"

Her words were so soft that for a second, I thought I imagined them. I sighed again and pulled her in tighter. He was the last thing I wanted to talk about. I shook my head, hoping she would get my silent message.

"Babe, don't shut down on me," she said, her voice stronger but still soft. "Please. What did he say to you?"

I exhaled and pulled back. I rolled my eyes and shrugged my shoulders. Her grip in my hands tightened which coaxed a real smile out of me. The tension in my shoulders immediately left as I stared into her brown eyes and saw love and concern. God, she was so fucking amazing.

"What do you think, Ash? The same old shit. He's never going to change. I'm at my wit's end. As long as I'm with you, he's going to hate you. He basically admitted it a few minutes ago to my mom. This dinner was set up to fail. We're just going to be upset the whole time."

She stared at me for some time. "He said that to your mom?"

"He didn't say yes, but he didn't deny it either. He just stared at my mom when she asked. He didn't have to say it out loud, anyway. I saw it in his eyes. This is all stupid. I don't want to do this."

Of course I had to start breaking down towards the end. I was mad at myself for losing the little control I had as the tears started leaking down. Ashley immediately pulled me back into her embrace and cooed in my ear as she rubbed my back. She told me repeatedly everything was going to be okay. I believed her, but the stress of the fighting was finally starting to get me. I was tired of the same argument. I was tired of the angry words. I was tired of my heart breaking over the changed man my father was because he didn't like my girlfriend.

I was tired of the losing battle. I just wanted my future with Ashley without the threats. It was starting to become clear with a huge glare that my father would never come around. So, let's just stop now. Before my heart became fragile and would never recover from the betrayal and hurt from him. I didn't think our relationship could be repaired, so why try. I just want to start over with Ashley, where I knew my heart would never break.

I was done; so fucking done.

"I was going to call you," I sniffled. "I wanted to cancel this dinner and have you meet me at the end of the block. I just want you to take me away from here."

"Oh, babe," she whispered. She rushed forward and kissed me long and hard. "I'm so sorry."

I nodded my head and just closed my eyes. I focused on her soothing circles she rubbed on my back. I hugged her tighter, which she reciprocated with equal strength. She always knew how to calm me. God, I would literally die without her. How could my father take this away from me?

"Of course," a chilling voice sounded behind me. My eyes popped open and my back stiffened. "Ashley, I'd appreciate it if you stop molesting my daughter in my house."

If I could kill my father with my sharp look I aimed over my shoulder, he would be gasping for his last breath. My eyes said I couldn't believe him; my set jaw showed I wanted to punch the fuck out of him. I opened my mouth, but Ashley beat me to it. Her harsh tone surprised me.

"I hardly think comforting your daughter is molesting her," she growled. "She's upset over your behavior. That's what I do; I comfort her."

"There's the attitude. Your true self is finally revealed."

"Trust me, you haven't seen attitude from me."

"Ashley!" My mother squealed out of nowhere. Her smile was strained also. "I'm so glad you could make it. Dinner is ready if you want to follow me. Arthur, help me set the table."

The way her eyes cut to my father told me she was going to cut him a new one in the kitchen. He begrudgingly followed. Good. Maybe all three of us ganging up on him all night would teach him a lesson. Doubtful, but I could dream somewhat. Ashley smiled at my mother and stepped further into my house. I quickly grabbed her hand before she got too far away from me.

"Ash, we don't have to do this," I said, pleading. "We can just leave. I'll text my mom in the car."

"No," she said, shaking her head. "I want to do this. It's going to be fine. I promise. No matter the outcome, we're going to be fine. Okay?"

She held my head and stared deep into my eyes. The brown was so comforting and hypnotizing at the same time. I believed every word she said. I nodded my head and she soon followed. She kissed me long and hard again, and I never wanted it to stop. She was my world. I couldn't lose her.

I should've tried harder convincing Ashley to leave. You know what, forget convincing, I should've just grabbed her hand and book it. There was no point in this. My father wasn't going to change. And fuck, did he prove himself right. It really hurts looking at him and knowing he's my father. Worse, it breaks my heart knowing I have to call him Dad. How could I come from this man? How could I have half his DNA? How was he capable of this much hate?

It's hard to wrap my head around all this after months of dealing with it. It still doesn't make sense and it still hurts. If it wasn't for Ashley, I'd probably be so lost and deep in a depression. I wouldn't know how to talk about this. How could a psychiatrist be this ignorant and spiteful towards their own child? How could he not have empathy towards this whole situation? Why won't he listen?

All of the silent questioning was hurting my head. I needed to stop and focus on the task at hand. I needed to survive this dinner with Ashley. After this, I'm leaving. I silently nodded to myself; my decision resolute. My father wasn't my family anymore. He wasn't my support system, Ashley was. After all the yelling and hurtful comments, one thing remained clear. Ashley was my family and my future. I was done with the negative and ready to focus on the positive.

It was simple in my mind. Ashley was the only thing positive in my life. She would never give up on me or hate me for loving different. She would never tear me down like my father. She was my future. She was my life. She was my world.

Ashley fucking Davies was the only thing that mattered.

I felt Ashley's hand lace our fingers together and I looked down at our hands. She squeezed and rubbed her thumb against my thumb's ridge. The movement mesmerized me as my eyes stayed glued at the motion. My eyes followed as she raised our hands to her lips and pecked my hand. A smile twitched from the corners of my lips. In that moment, the angst inside me disappeared. Love filled my heart as it fluttered. For a second, it was hard to breathe because her rich eyes had me floating. I felt like I was flying. God, she was so amazing.

My eyes watered as she kissed my hand again. This time, her lips pressed longer. I wanted to grab her face and kiss her like tomorrow wasn't promised.

This pressure building inside me was becoming unbearable. Every day, I fell deeper in love with her and it was getting harder and harder not to say it out loud. I just wanted her to know. I wanted to scream it. But it wasn't how she communicated. Before, I was fine physically showing her, but nowadays it seemed like it wasn't enough. I was in a constant state of worry that I would lose her. I should tell her out loud just so the pressure would be released. Lately, I felt suffocated. I felt like I needed to tell her, but I didn't want to scare her away. Words never worked in her favor and the last thing I needed was for her to have a breakdown in front of my father.

I chuckled in my head. Wouldn't that be classic? My father would have a fucking field day.

"Are you okay?" She asked.

My eyes focused on her concerned ones. I gave her a sweet smile and cradled her neck. I stared for a few more seconds before pulling her into a short, but passionate kiss.

"Of course," I told her. "I'm fantastic whenever you're around."

She gave me my smile and everything felt better. I kept staring at her while squeezing her hand back. No one existed in our world and I wanted to be here forever. Please, God, why can't that happen?

"What, no 'I love you?'"

My eyes snapped towards my father. Something dropped all the way down to the pit of my stomach. I just now noticed how he was leaning against the doorframe where the hallway turned into our dining room. He held a salad bowl, but it seemed like it was nonexistent in his hands. I know it was the last thing any one of us was concerned about.

He was observing us for a long time by the way his posture looked. How dare he intrude on our intimate moment. And the way he spoke, it sounded so condescending and calculating. I suddenly felt ashamed and defensive. There was something in his voice that told me found a weakness and he was going to attack.

I couldn't stop the thought in my head. This was what he was hoping to happen. He was going to do whatever it took to drive that dagger through my heart. The angry tears suddenly welled my eyes. Why was he trying to hurt me like this?

Our silence was confirmation enough for him. "Oh, this is classic," he said, sarcastically. "You never said 'I love you' to each other?"

"That's none of your business," I said, looking down. Tears started to roll down when Ashley pulled her hands away from mine.

"Don't you see, Spencer?" My father asked, stepping more into the room. He set the salad bowl down and the clinking was deafening. "What kind of girl tells you she can't live her life without you and but doesn't tell you she loves you? This joke of a relationship has been going on for how long? Eight months? Not one utterance? She's using you, honey."

"Shut up!" I yelled in defiance.

My head snapped up. The tears wouldn't stop even when I silently screamed at my brain to control them. It was embarrassing how emotional and vulnerable I became the moment Ashley pulled away. God, that hurt too much than I cared to admit. I hoped my father saw the tears as angry rather than hurt.

"She hasn't said she loves you!" My father screamed back. "Think about it, Spencer! Who does that? An addict who doesn't care about your needs or feelings. She only cares about herself. She will destroy you. Look at her. She can't even tell you she loves you now when it's most important. When you need to hear it most, she's not even saying it. She's already destroying you!"

It was too much. The pressure was caving inside me and I started shaking my head, although I knew it was a moot point. His words echoed and amplified like a megaphone throughout my mind. He was attacking my insecurities. What was worst was that Ashley wasn't denying his accusations. My chest started to heave as the panic attack started to consume me. It was like I was trapped in a room that was filling with water and I only had that tiny corner of space left to breathe. Everything was swallowing me up.

"Babe," Ashley's voice was stern. "Open your eyes. Look at me."

No effort, I opened my eyes on command. I had to blink a couple times to focus on her concerning eyes. Slowly, everything came back to focus. Her soothing touch was petting my cheeks. Her lips were guiding my breathing, bringing me down from hyperventilation. Once I calmed down enough to her liking, she pulled me towards her in a crushing hug. She whispered her apologizes over and over again against my neck. Her wet kisses on my skin centered everything inside me. She was touching me again and I couldn't help but feel tremendously better. She was protecting me. She was once again showing me through touch that she loved me, and that's all I needed.

That's all I needed.

"How dare you?" Her voice was dangerously low against my lips.

I had to open my eyes because she wasn't talking to me. She wasn't talking to me; she just wasn't. But I had to be sure. Her eyes were closed also. Her grip on my head tightened, but her thumbs were rubbing down my cheeks. I frowned because I've never seen her this upset.

"Excuse me?" My father asked.

I guess he heard her too because he had his pouting face going on, although it looked more irritated than anything else. His bottom lip was pushed in like he was sucking the gums inside his mouth. His eyes squinted which made his brow scrunch weird. I used to make fun of him whenever he pulled this face. My heart ached at the bittersweet memory. I no longer found that look amusing. I found it horrifying now.

"How dare you?" Her voice was louder.

Her eyes popped open and I had to gasp at the darkness brewing before me. This wasn't my Ashley. I was used to her eyes being warm, like a golden caramel that made me feel light and protected. The blackness in her orbs was almost like she was possessed. She wasn't loving and comforting anymore. She was boiling to anger and destructive. I tried to pull her in a hug, hoping the action would break her out of this downward spiral she was spinning into. She turned around before I could fully grasp her.

"Fuck," I whispered to myself.

I watched in horror as Ashley faced my father.

"How dare you treat her like this, Mr. C. The week you found out about us, she spent the entire weekend and then some in my bedroom crying her eyes out because you changed overnight. Every night I held her as she tried to make sense to what happened to you."

"Nothing happened to me, something happened to her!" My father yelled. "You changed my baby girl for the worse."

"Then blame me but don't make her feel less than." My eyes bulged at the fierceness of her tone. "Don't ever make her feel less than. I won't allow it."

"Allow? You're telling me what you allow when it comes to my daughter? Who do you think you are?"

"Your daughter's girlfriend who would do anything - absolute anything - to make her feel loved and protected. How dare you try to destroy her self-worth. How dare you try to destroy her confidence. That's not what a father does."

"Don't tell me what I should be doing with my daughter."

Now it was my father's voice that got dangerously low. Their staring contest was getting a little too intense and their bodies were inching closer. My father towered over Ashley but the height difference didn't intimidate her one bit. If I didn't stop this soon, they would be forehead to forehead, nose to nose like two angry wrestlers. I was afraid punches would be thrown any second now.

"My father died because of a car accident I'm sure I caused," Ashley said. My eyes widened because I didn't think she would reveal something like that. "The entire time I screamed hurtful things at him, all he did was tell me he loved me. As I lashed out, all he said was he loved me. The same way you're telling her hurtful things, all she did was stand there and love you. She still can't understand why you can't accept that she loves me, too. She's standing there with a broken heart, Mr. C. Look at her! You're causing that."

She's pointing at me and all want to do at that moment was run away. His angry stare flicked to my heartbroken stare as tears continued to roll down my cheeks. They were waterworks now and there was no point in stopping the flow. His stare was too much for me. I didn't like the attention, so I broke eye contact and looked down while hugging myself. I just wanted a sinkhole to happen now.

"Don't try to twist this to me being the bad father here," my father growled at Ashley. "You're the reason why everything changed. You're the reason why I see her differently now."

"But you love her, right?" Ashley asked. "That's supposed to be unconditional, like a mother's love. When's the last time you told her you loved her? Despite everything going on between you two now, did you tell her you loved her? Have you even said "I love you" these last couple of months?"

Silence filled the room. This was more suffocating than the confrontation between them. My breathing started to pick up again as the two stared at each other. This was going too far, and I wanted nothing to do with it. I didn't want to watch this anymore. I didn't want to see the girl I loved and my father go after each other's chords. This was all too much.

"Leave," my father hissed.

"No!" I screamed.

"Leave it alone, Spencer!" My father yelled back. "I want her out of my house!"

"Just stop it! Just stop all of this!"

I couldn't take it anymore, so like a coward, I ran out of the room. I turned, sobbing into my hands as I headed towards the living room. My mother called my name and tried to grab my shoulder but I shrugged her off. I just wanted to die alone.

"No," Ashley said.

That was the last thing I heard before I left.

~~ MF MF MF ~~

I don't know how much time passed before I heard rustling beside me. I just let my sobbing fill the silence around me. I'm sure my face was a mess. My shirt wasn't fairing better. I'm sure it was full of nasty water stains all around my collar and wet snot. Blubbering mess was an extreme understatement.

I just wanted to die in my misery alone. My father kicked Ashley out of the house and possibly out of my life also. My life was literally over without her. I couldn't live. After this confrontation, there was no way my father would ever let me see her again. The threats would be real now. I would be transferred out of King High. He would work from home and keep under house arrest. I would never see Ashley again. My heart shattered to the pit of my stomach at the thought.

I cried harder when someone sat down next to me and shifted closer. I didn't want to be comforted unless it was Ashley. No one else would understand my dependency on her. But then I smelled something unique only to Ashley. Her perfume snaked its way to my nostrils. My head snapped up and to the left so fast I could've gotten whiplash. I gasped and lunged for her. For a second there, I thought it was all a dream. I had to be sure she was real. When my arms tightly wrapped around her neck and her skin tasted real, my sobs sounded a lot like relief.

She wasn't gone! Oh, my fucking God, she wasn't gone! I squeezed her tighter and pressed my lips harder against her skin just to be sure.

"Shh," she whispered against my temple. "It's okay, baby, I'm right here. I'm right here."

I finally looked up at her. "I thought this was the end. I thought you pushed too far and you were gonna be taken away from me."

"Hey," she said, staring deep into my eyes. "I told you I would never leave you. Your father will never separate us. I meant it."

"But he wanted you out."

"Yeah, he did. He didn't get his wish."

I was almost afraid to ask. "What happened?" I asked, meekly.

"We came to an understanding." I gave her a disbelieving look. Ashley shook her head. "Nothing's roses and candy between us. We're on a long road of building trust. But a truce has been called. It got intense. I'm not gonna lie, babe. But an understanding was reached. It's tentative, but it's still an understanding."

"Does he accept us?"

She hesitated. "Baby steps."

I huffed. "Then nothing will get better. It'll be the same bitter cycle."

"No, it won't."

"He's not going to change!"

She shook her head. "This isn't about him, this is about us. He knows whatever he tries, it's not going to break us up. You're my forever, but that's not enough."

"What? Of course it is."

She sighed then looked down at my hands. I frowned because she was suddenly uncomfortable, which in turn made me uneasy. Why did she look nervous out of nowhere? She grasped my hand and held on tight while rubbing her thumb over my knuckles.

"I know I said it wasn't about him," she said. "But I'm sorry he made you doubt me because I haven't said it out loud."

I started shaking my head. "Ashley..."

"No, let me say this. I have to do this. It needs to be said. In fact, I should've told you I loved you a long time ago."

The words hit my chest and I felt breathless. Wow. I never thought hearing the words would immense me in this intense euphoric feeling. I knew she loved me and she showed it every chance she got. I thought that was enough. I thought reveling in her actions was just as good as hearing the words. Her actions would melt my heart, but here I am swimming in happiness because I heard the words come out of her mouth. Just fucking wow.

"I've never been good with words," she said after a while. "They never done me good. I always thought if I just showed you, you would know."

"I did know. I know you love me. I love you, too. I just... followed your lead."

"But you needed to hear it, and I'm sorry I was being selfish about it. I'm sorry I wasted all this time to say it. I love you, Spence, with everything I'm worth. I would be dead if it wasn't for you."

She pulled something from her pocket but I don't realize it at first. I'm too focused on her shiny eyes and her love that radiated from them. It filled me up to the brim. I feel so full and short of breath at the same time. God, I would be dead without her too.

Her eyes flicked down, gently guiding me to look. When I did look down, it felt like my breath was sucked away from me, but I never felt more alive. My heart started to beat faster than what I was used to. Oh, my God. The ring was fucking huge!

I stared at her, my question written all over my face. She nodded in return. I gasped, my hand going straight to cover my mouth.

"Will you marry me?" She asked. "Make sure I don't die?"

"Oh, my fucking God, yes," I immediately responded.

I grabbed her face for a long kiss. Holy shit, this was what true euphoria felt like. This was better than heaven. This was better than paradise. This was better than Utopia. This was almost better than sex.

"Wait," I gasped, breaking the kiss. "Did you show my dad this ring? When did you even get a ring? Were you going to propose regardless tonight?"

She chuckled then stroked my cheek in a loving manner. "I did show your dad the ring," she said, nodding. "Told him no matter what he tried, you were going to be my wife one way or another. And I got the ring awhile ago. I was waiting for the right time. I guess tonight was it."

"I love you," I said with an awe in my voice. "I love you so much."

"I loved you the moment I saw you," she whispered against my lips. "More every day, my sweet angel. I love you."

She's going to be my wife, guys! I won at life! Ashley fucking Davies will be my wife!

End Ch. 20.

The end! I know the Arthur storyline wasn't really resolved. Honestly, if I explored that more, the story would never end and if I were to resolve it here and now, it would've been too clunky and quite honestly, cut short with no payoff. It may seem like that's what happened, but the story was about Spencer and Ashley's relationship. The confrontation between Ashley and Arthur will be explored more in Addiction, and the storyline will wrap up there.

Thank you for everyone that stuck with this story. It's been a long ride, and you guys stuck through it through and through. I appreciate you guys like no other!

MF