Stardust (Complete)

Loose Ends

Slightly Stoopid, Open Road: 

Realise that I'm gonna be the one who,

Takes your hand while we're walking through the avenue

Ash was quickly learning just how fast three weeks could really go by.  I'd kissed her goodbye that first morning and headed back home while she went to work.

It was only while I was driving that it occurred to me that the others had no idea what we had planned, though, I couldn't imagine that they'd have an issue.  They'd all loved Ash.  

Sure, it might be a little awkward at first, but we'd all get over it.

As I'd hoped, they were all stoked that we'd managed to resolve things like we had, and were all looking forward to seeing her back here.

I stayed with her again, three days later, and we spent all the next day packing up her things and loading them into the back of my car to take with me.  She stayed behind and continued packing, working her last shifts and organising everything else she needed to organise before the move.

This morning, I unlocked her door and let myself in with the spare key she'd given me.  That's where I found a very hungover Ashley, curled up on the couch, looking as miserable as she possibly could look.

"What happened to you?"  I wondered, settling down beside her to pull her into me to try and comfort.

"My friends threw me a surprise going away party, last night," she explained, her voice soft and scratchy, and I struggled to hold back my laugh. 

"Oh, dear," I teased, pressing a gentle kiss to her poor head.

"I think I'm dying."

"Please try not to."

I gathered her into my arms to carry back to bed.

"Come on," I said to her, "try and sleep it off.  I'll keep going out here."

"You don't have to do that," she argued, though, she didn't protest as I lay her down on her bed, pulling up the blankets for her.

"Shh," I smiled.  "You just try to feel better."