Ashley's eyes slowly fluttered open the next morning as light peaked through the slit in the curtains. She sighed, content, as she felt Nick's light breathing hit the nape of her neck. A smile came to her lips as memories of what they shared the night before came flooding back to her. Slowly turning over, so not to wake him, she watched him sleep peacefully. She couldn't help but note the slight smile on his lips as he slept, and she couldn't help but to hope it was because he was dreaming of her.
A part of her wanted to feel reluctant that she gave herself to him so quickly and carelessly, but she had no regrets. And he took his time to show her that he understood and was grateful. That alone was enough to make her forget about all the repercussions she knew would no doubt come. That and the fact that he was definitely the best that she'd ever had, and he no doubt knew it. Maybe that was the reason for his little smirk. As much as she loved watching him sleep she knew they had to be ready to leave for the next show soon, and she wanted to make sure they had time to say goodbye to Angel and Scott too.
"Time to wake up." she said softly before kissing him. He grumbled something incoherent and stirred slightly without waking. "Come on Nick, time to wakeup." she said kissing him again with a little more force.
He groaned into her mouth as he deepened the kiss finally pulling away after a brief moment.
"Good morning." she smiled up at him.
"It certainly is." he laughed with a smirk.
"Have some nice dreams?" she teased.
"More like some nice reenactments." he grinned and kissed her once more on the lips before moving to her neck.
"Nick..." she groaned trying to keep her thoughts together.” We have to get ready to leave."
"You're incredibly beautiful." he said ignoring her statement as he ran a hand over the curves of her body.
"And you're just incredible in every sense of the word." she laughed and pulled his attention back to her gaze, kissing him one last time before pushing him to the side and sitting up in the bed. "But as much as I'd love to just lay here with you all day we do have to get ready to leave."
"I know." he sighed reluctantly sitting up. He placed one final kiss on her bare shoulder before getting out of bed and making his way to the bathroom. She heard him turn on the shower as she got up to retrieve her discarded clothing scattered on the floor.
"Babe can I borrow some clothes to go back to my room and shower? Squeezing into this dress again does not sound fun."
"You don't want to come shower with me?" he said with a smirk as he wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and pulled her closer kissing her neck.
"The objective of a shower is to get clean, not dirtier." she teased.
"But getting dirty is so fun." he smirked.
"Clothes please." she laughed smacking his chest playfully.
"Fine." he groaned tossing her a sweatshirt and basketball shorts from his duffle bag.” But next time you're not getting off so easy."
"Uh huh." she laughed as she put on the oversized clothing. "Just go take your shower, I'll see you in a little." she kissed him once more before heading out the door.
She crossed the hall and knocked on her door not knowing where her room key was. Angel opened the door with a big smirk on her face.
"Well hello there." she said opening the door further so she could come in.
"Wipe the smirk off your face." Ashley laughed as she tossed her belongings down on her untouched bed and gathered her things to shower.
"I would ask you how you enjoyed your night, but I think safe to say most of the hotel knows." Angel laughed.
"Hush up, we were not that loud." she laughed with a slight blush.
"Would you like me to poll the jury for the verdict on that one?" Angel teased.
"Well what can I say? It's been a long time, and he just knew all the right things to..." she began.
"Please spare me the details." Angel cut her off with a slight laugh.
"Hey, I have to hear all about your sex life." she interjected.
"Totally different scenario."
"Man, I forgot how much I loved sex." she laughed with a smirk ignoring Angel’s grossed out look. "But I was reminded...over and over and..."
"Ahh enough!" Angel laughed covering her ears. "You're talking about my brother remember?"
"Sorry." she couldn't help but laugh as she turned on the water and shut the bathroom door.
A few minutes later there was a knock on the door. Angel opened it expecting to find a locked out Scott. Instead it was AJ, holding a handful of papers and a pissed off expression.
"Where's my sister?" he said entering the room without saying hello.
"In the shower, good morning to you too." Angel laughed a little before shutting the door. When he didn't respond her expression fell to meet his own. "What’s wrong?"
"Is she fucking stupid?" he didn't bother masking his anger.
"What do you mean?" she said, not believing he could be angry over what she assumed.
"I tell her to be smart, I tell her to take things slow but instead she goes and pulls this shit." he said throwing the papers that were clenched in his fist down onto the bed. "She wants me to treat her like an adult yet she always makes stupid decisions."
Angel didn't answer, knowing it would do no good. Instead she picked up the scattered papers and began looking through them. They were all the same, showing picture of Nick and Ashley stumbling out of the club the night before, walking into the hotel and their little show they put on by the elevators for the onlookers. The paparazzo had learned a long time ago that AJ would pay a pretty penny to keep Ashley's name out of the tabloids and had since contacted him directly anytime they had anything juicy on her. It had been a while since the last incident but she had promised him it would be the last.
"She knows all these people are just out to get her, how could she be so stupid." he said, now pacing the room in anger.
"Come on AJ, its been what like two years since they've had any dirt on her? And this isn't even news worthy." Angel tried to reason with him.
"I knew shit like this would happen. This is why I didn't want anything going on between them in the first place. They don't think before they act."
"So what times your flight?" Ashley said coming out from the bathroom dressed and towel drying her hair. "Oh hey Alex." she said looking at him wearily, noting his pissed off expression.
"Don't ‘hey’ me like your some innocent little angel." he said angrily.
"What the he'll are you talking about?" she looked at him as if he were insane.
"I could give two shits what you do behind closed doors, but do you really have to let the whole fucking world know that your doing it?" he said shoving one of the emails at him.
"Seriously? This is not even a big deal." she said looking it over and tossing it to the ground.
"Not a big deal?" he said even more frustrated. “You promised me that there would be no more of this shit.”
“I didn’t do anything wrong!” she said irritated.
“No, you never do anything. You’re always so innocent. These things just pop up out of nowhere.”
“You know what. I’m not sixteen anymore. These aren’t your battles. Do me a favor and stay the hell out of it if it’s gonna be this big of a deal to you every time someone photographs me kissing a guy.” She said angrily as she ripped up the emails.
"These little incidents of yours aren’t always just about you. They affect the others around you. Is this what you want mom to see when she goes on the internet? Do you know what people are going to think when they see these?"
"Enlighten me. What exactly are they gonna think, Alex?" she said her voice now matching his.
"That..." he tried to contain his anger.
"That what?" she yelled back.
"That your easy!" he blurted out, letting his anger get the best of him.
Angel stared at both of them in disbelief, not knowing what to say or think as Ashley just stared at him emotionless.
"Go to hell." she finally said as she fought back tears and turned throwing open the door to leave almost running into Nick, who was just about to knock on the door.
"Hey." he smiled before noting the tears threatening to fall. "What's wrong?" he said trying to stop her from getting past him.
"Leave me alone." she pushed passed him just wanting to get away from AJ.
"What did you do." he said noticing the angry expression strewn across his face.
"What did I do? This is all your god damn fault in the first place." he said getting in Nicks face.
"Hey!" Angel finally spoke up stepping in between the two of them. "Enough!" she looked at them both, sternly pushing them away from one another.
AJ took a step back, still ready to pounce, as Angel shot him a warning with her eyes.
"Go see if she’s ok." she said to Nick before turning her attention back to AJ. "And you think about how the he'll your gonna talk your way out of this one, because you definitely screwed up big time."
"I didn't mean it the way it sounded." he said finally calming down.
“Well from where I was standing it sure as hell sounded like you did.” Angel sighed.
“Ash, wait up.” Nick said catching up to her as she reached the end of the hallway where the elevators were.
She pressed the down button intensely as she wiped some tears that were falling from her eyes.
“Babe.” He placed his hands on her shoulders, turning her to face him. “What happened?”
“My life’s nothing but big mistake after mistake, that’s what happened.”
“What are you talking about?” Nick looked at her confused.
“He can never look at all the good things I’ve done. It always has to be about all the times I’ve fucked up. Just once I’d like him to take my side and not tell me how much I’ve screwed up. Does he not think that I know I’ve messed up? Why does he have to remind me over and over again? Why can’t he just let things be and let me be happy?” she rambled on through tears.
“I’m sorry.” He said pulling her into a hug, rubbing her back and trying to calm her down.
“I need to get out of here.” She said pushing away from him as the bell to the elevator dinged and the door opened.
“We’ll be on the bus for a few hours, it will give you both time to cool off.”
“No. I have to leave. I can’t be here anymore.”
He grabbed her hand and pulled her back to him.
“You can’t leave. Not now. Forget about him, I need you here.”
“Nick, I can’t be around him.” She sighed and looked at him apologetically.
“You can’t leave.” He said again in barely a whisper as he leaned his head down to her shoulder, kissing her neck softly. “Please.”
Author's Chapter Notes:
it wouldn't be my story without drama huh? hehe enjoy! :)
