Hope where there is none (Lesbian)

In a different world

It was late. Almost everyone in town was asleep, at least that's what Emma was hoping. There were those that were awake waiting for something special to happen.. and just maybe it would.

Meg and Emma walked into the Ashley Riley's private room in silence. "Becky is on her lunch right now, but she'll be back in half an hour to make her rounds. To be safe, I'll be back in twenty." Meg said quietly.

"What do i say?" Emma asked softly. She already had tears in her eyes once they fell on Ashley's bruised and cut body and was trying to will them back.

"Just be honest Em. It's all you can do. She can't hear you, she's asleep. Take this as a chance to say what you've always wanted to, but couldn't. If not for her, for you. Do what I never had the courage to do for Amy, be honest. Everything will work itself out in its own time. I promise." said Meg

Emma hugged her older sister and whispered her thanks.

"Any time kiddo. I'll wait outside." said Meg

Emma nodded to her sister, then slowly approached Ashley's bed. she pulled up a chair and sat for a moment, trying to find the words she had always wanted to say.

She raised her hand and softly touched Ashley's eyebrow. Just on the side of her face had stitches two inches long near her right eye brow. "Why did he have to do this to your beautiful face." whispered Emma.

"You don't deserve this Ashley, you never did. Know one does. Your so strong, you bare this when it would have broken most people, I hate them for what they've done to you. He was wrong Ashley, you are perfect just as you are. At least you are to me." she whispered as she took Ashley's hand into her own.  She stopped fighting the tears that started streaming down her face and let them run free, she needed a moment to find the words her heart yearned to say.

"In a different world, we would look at each other without fear, without worrying what every one else would do to us. In a different world we'd make flirty conversation, walk each other to class and you'd carry my books as we made casual conversation. We'd go out on the town every weekend, enjoying our lives without a care in the world. We'd go out on dates, and find a hill to lay on, looking at the stars as we dreamed our way out of this place. In a different world we'd be happy just me and you I think." cried Emma.

"But this isn't a different world, and we can't escape our fate even if we want to. I just want you to know Ashley that I'm here, I've always been here, loving you silently. I'll always be here, loving you silently, and mourning the life we could have had together. Every word against you tears at me, every  blow they hit you with breaks pieces of my heart. So I'm begging you to let me go.... so you'll be safe. I need you to be safe Ashley, because a world without you, is a world I can't exist in." whispered Emma

She stood from her chair and took a last look at the girl she loved. This look would be the last she would ever permit herself to have again, for both their sakes. It felt like her body had a mind of its own as she found her self leaning down, and kissing the lips she always dreamed of kissing.

"I know I've stolen your first kiss, but I'm giving you mine. No matter what happens, you'll always be the first person I've ever given myself to Ashley Riley. Thank you for being who you are. And loving a girl like me. Even if you never said it, I've always hoped it was true. You are my person. You always will be my person." whispered Emma. 

As Emma walked to the door, Meg stepped in the room and looked from the sleeping Ashley to her tear ridden sister. "Its time,"she said

Emma nodded her head and rushed out of the room. Meg took one last look at Ashley and waited. Just as she started to think she may have been wrong, Ashley opened her eyes and locked them with Megs. She smiled and mouthed thank you. Meg just smiled and nodded her head in understanding as she turned to escort her sister home.

Ashley laid there and brought her finger tips to her lips. Her first kiss had been to Emmaline Holmes, the girl she fell in love with well before the age of thirteen. Her sixteen year old mind raced as she remembered Emma's words. "In a different world", in that moment she knew then, that she would never give up trying to make that world happen. For all of them.

She sat up and turned on her bed side light. Pulling the letters out of her pillow, She got comfortable as she started opening the letters that would change her life for ever.

She stayed up all night reading the words of people she knew her whole life.She cried, she laughed, she felt anger. No  matter how tired she was, or how much her body screamed in pain she couldn't put them down. The more she felt the pain she endured, the more she was reminded of what Chris had done to her. She felt upset with her self for allowing it to happen in the first place, but she was no where near as strong as him. She laid there thinking about what happened, when a plan started to form in her mind.

 Her sister Amy had ventured out into the world of people like them, she brought a knowledge to her younger sister, that started to ring in Ashley's mind. She knew Amy would know how to make her plan work. What she needed was time. And there was only two people she could think of to help convince her parents to give her that time.

She picked up her cell phone, and called the person she knew would understand her need to fight for what she believed in, no matter the consequences. Her heart leaped as the phone was answered.

"Kid you better be dying calling an old man at this time of the night." came a gruff voice.

Ashley laughed at her grandfathers sleep ridden voice.

"Almost grandpa, but ya know Riley's are hard to take down. Doesn't help I'm half James." said Ashley.

She heard a breathy laugh and her grand fathers voice evened out, "Too true kid. so what can I do ya for?"

"Well, ya see grandpa something happened and I kind of need help. I need navy seal kinda help. So I called you. Will you help me?" she asked with apprehension. This was it, her plan wouldn't work without his help and she prayed he would help her.

"Anything for you kid. You just tell Gramps what you need." he answered with fondness.

Ashley felt all the tension leave her body. Hope, she had it now and she was running with it. She spent all night talking it out with him, laying the wood work of their plan. When they hung up she, dialed her sisters number knowing it was dangerous to interrupt her sleep, but knew it was important to have things worked out before she talked to her parents.

She braced herself for her sisters snarky attitude, but all she heard was concern.

"Ash, you okay whats wrong? Aren't you in the hospital? why aren't you resting? Amy blurted sleepy, yet with just enough concern.

"I'm okay Ames I just needed to talk to you." said Ashley.

"Okay  whats up?" asked Amy.

"That's it? aren't you going to threaten to beat the day lights out of me for disrupting  your precious sleep?" laughed out Ashley.

"Mom called me before you woke up and after, I think you've had more than enough threats to last a life time. when I get a hold of that asshole I'm gonna kill him." said Amy with enough venom that she could see her sister in her mind, death gripping the phone.

Ashley's expression softened at her sisters concern and anger. "That's why I called Ames, I need your help. I have a plan, but I'm going to need your's and grandpa's help to convince mom and dad. Its a really long story, so you got a while before you have to go to work?" asked Ashley.

"I'll call in if I have to kid. Tell me everything from when you woke up, I got all the injury details from mom. So start from the beginning." said Amy.

Ashley smiled. She knew her sister would help her, she always did. Maybe, just maybe when the time was right they would both get the girl. She could hope.

"Well it all started when this beautiful blue eyed doctor came into the room......." she said