Fiction: Shattered Reflection Chapter 21
No time to read this over. Prepare yourself for HUGE mistakes...
Title: Shattered Reflection
Chapter: 21
Author: Jailynn
Word Count: 2493
Couple/Show: Ashlee and Rocky, Guiding Light
Disclaimer: Mine, all mine. *laughing*
Summary: Ashlee moved away from Springfield after Coop's death and Rocky came back. What if Rocky was Coop's twin? What if Ashlee didn't know that? What then?
Warning: Not beta'd, mistakes a plenty...please forgive me
Type: Angst, romance
Acknowledgements: Thank you to Jenny for the beautiful banner.
Feedback: Please I love and need feedback! I'm not afraid to beg... *begs* Please!
Rating: PG-13
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Doris was hesitant to move from her spot in the hallway toward him. Coop being there with her couldn’t bode well for her further existence in the world she left in the ER. Thoughts swarmed in her mind, questions she was almost afraid to ask but knew that she had to. She had to know what it was like. What was she walking into and would Ashlee be okay now that she wouldn’t be there to watch out for her? Doris looked down at her feet and almost rolled her eyes. Clouds of fog encircled her legs. Fog and the light could this whole thing be anymore cliché, she wondered to herself.
A chuckle brought her icy blue eyes back to the man her daughter loved with everything inside of her. Coop grinned at her shaking his head. She tilted hers to the side and narrowed her eyes in contemplation. It was almost like he heard my thoughts, but that was insane, she comforted herself. His blue green eyes locked on hers. A knowing expression glowed in their depths and she shivered. ‘Maybe it’s not so insane after all,’ she swallowed. The idea of him hearing what she was thinking chilled her a little bit. Thoughts were private. She didn’t want anyone diving in the pool of her mind unless she invited them.
He nodded as if he heard those as well then confirmed it by saying, “I promise to stop diving.” Her hands came up to rest on her hips. “Sorry,” he said a bit sheepishly. “I’ve just always wondered what went on in that brain of yours.” He grinned in a way that stopped her damaged heart. It’s been so long since she’s seen that free smile of his on his face instead of his twin’s. She missed it. Not that she would let him know that. “I never thought you would be so normal up here,” he tapped the side of his head in amusement.
She huffed, “I’m not abnormal.” He tilted his head down and narrowed his eyes. “Just because I wasn’t fond of your family for a while doesn’t make me weird or different,” she grimaced. “And I was right about you and Ashlee.” Coop looked away from her. “You did end up hurting her. You did nearly destroy her.” Doris sighed, looking back at the way she came, lost completely in her own thoughts. “She was devastated by your death, Henry. I’ve never seen her like that before.” She met his eyes again and waited a beat before adding. “Learning about Beth really shook her. Could you have picked a more inappropriate fuck buddy?”
“Did you, Doris Wolfe, Mayor of Springfield, actually just say the words: fuck buddy,” he asked mildly amused. She shrugged her shoulders. It wasn’t the classiest turn of phrase, but seemed to fit the situation. Especially when you consider the fact that Beth only cried for him for less than a week before jumping back into Philip Spaulding’s arms. God that woman is a heartless snake. Coop rubbed his thumb over his eyebrow and glared slightly at her. She glared right back. He said he wouldn’t read her thoughts anymore. “Listen I know I hurt Ashlee, but don’t forget she broke up with me first,” he shook his head. “I never meant for things to get so out of control. Beth was a mistake, but I will not explain myself to you about that part of my life. I know that she wasn’t a person that I could really love now and I’m sorry that Ashlee was so devastated by what happened. I’m sorry that I didn’t get to tell her the truth and I’m extremely sorry for the way she found out. She’s the one person that I never wanted to hurt…well other than my family. I loved her. I still do.”
“I know,” Doris said softly. “I know you didn’t mean to hurt Ashlee. And really she blossomed when she was with you. She became so much stronger. I think that’s why it was so hard for me to watch her break so completely after your death. She just buckled. I haven’t seen her as happy as she was with you since then…well until now that is. Your twin seems to be bringing some life into my daughter. Are you okay with that? I only ask because Ashlee was scared you would hate her. You would disapprove of her moving on and moving on with your twin no less.”
“I want Ashlee to be happy,” he walked from his spot in the hallway, but not from the light. It seemed to follow him. “Rocky is a better man than you give him credit for,” he held up his hand when she opened her mouth to contradict him. “I’m not saying he doesn’t have some rough edges, because that would be a lie. He does need someone to show him what it’s like to give everything.” He stopped in front of her and sighed. “To put your mind at ease, I’m not here to usher you into the light. It doesn’t really work that way. While someone does help you find your way, if it’s your time you don’t end up here,” he waved his hand around. “You just sort of enter a different world. There isn’t anything to be scare of anymore. There is just peace. You feel at peace. So I’m sorry, but you aren’t ready for that yet. It isn’t time for you to leave yet Doris.” Her hand went to her heart without thinking. “I’m sorry about your heart, Doris,” Coop said softly. “But it doesn’t change the fact that it isn’t your time yet. You still have so much to do. Too many people need you to go back. Too many people are counting on you.”
She looked into his eyes and started to feel some pain where her heart was. She gasped slightly. Since entering this world where he was, she hasn’t felt anything that resembled pain. Doris bent at the waist and tried to breathe slowly through her nose to help ease the agony. She didn’t understand what was happening, but she wished it was over. She wished she didn’t feel.
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Ashlee walked with Rocky, her hand resting lightly in his. Their arms were swinging back and forth. The moment felt so innocent to him. And innocent, while it is a perfect description of Ashlee- broken innocence- in his mind, it wasn’t something he has felt for himself in a long time. Actually, he couldn’t remember the last time he felt truly innocent. The feeling was so new and slightly off-putting. It wasn’t that he didn’t enjoy the way she made his heart pound like a teenager’s; it was the unsure footing that freaked him out. He was used to being in control, even when the world seemed to think he wasn’t. That’s why he loved his motorcycle so much. It was freedom and at times reckless, but he still controlled it for the most part.
This…whatever it was between him and Ashlee was something he didn’t know how to handle. She turned to look at him, a slight smile lifted the left side of her mouth then she turned back toward the path they were walking back to the hospital. His breath caught in his throat. He wondered if this was how it was for Coop. Was he this taken with her after just a couple of weeks? Was he bowled over by her spirit and her unwavering belief that she wasn’t good enough, strong enough, when the truth was she was more than anything he could have imagined? He wished that he could talk to Coop. He wished he could get his thoughts on what was happening. He wished he could tell him if this strange emotion building like a tidal wave in his chest really was love or just a lust he has never felt before.
They started walking up the steep driveway to the entrance of the ER when something caught his attention. He stopped in his tracks and turned to face the evening paper head on. Rocky could feel the blood drain from his face. The bold print and the color picture underneath it were sure to upset her. He suddenly wished he hadn’t stopped. “What’s wrong,” Ashlee asked and he shifted his body so that she couldn’t see it. “Rocky,” she laughed with a confused look in her eyes. “What,” she shifted to the right then back to the left as he moved with her. “What are you doing?”
“I’m not doing anything, luv,” he tried to even out his voice so she wouldn’t catch onto his lie. She stopped trying to look around him and arched her eyebrow in challenge. Obviously she didn’t believe his lie one bit. Her attempts to get around him increased. “I thought I saw something,” he said, pulling her hand as he tried to walk away from the newspaper stand. “But I was wrong it was nothing. Come on, luv, there might be some news about your mum.” She stayed in her spot. He turned to look behind him and saw what he knew he would if she caught sight of the newsprint. “Ashlee,” he walked back to her side. “It’s just trash.”
She started searching her pockets. “I don’t have any change,” she spoke more to herself than to him. Turning to him, Ashlee had a look of desperation, “Do you have any change?” He opened his mouth, but she cut him off. “Rocky, I need to see what they wrote. Please do you have any change?” He sighed knowing that he didn’t stand a chance. He couldn’t tell her no. Not now while she was going through so much. He dug into his jean pockets and came out with a selection of coins. He handed her the necessary amount and she rushed over to insert them into the machine. Pulling it open, she grabbed the top paper. Her blue eyes moved from side to side as she read the article. “What a bunch of shit,” she said under her breath. Looking up at him for a brief moment, he was shocked to see a deathly rage in her eyes. She returned to the paper in her hand and licked her lips, “’It seems that Mayor Wolfe isn’t as strong as she wants the town to believe. An anonymous source for the paper told us that Doris Wolfe was walking in the park early this afternoon and dropped onto a near bench. While the reason for her collapse is unknown right now, it was interesting to see that Buzz Cooper, her one-time rival now has a different feeling toward her entirely. The Springfield Times will be keeping up on this story as more details become available.’ These…these… morons are treating my mother’s health issue like some torrid romance novel. The writing: ‘it was interesting to see that Buzz Cooper, her one-time rival now has a different feeling toward her entirely?’ Seriously, this is like a tabloid article. And the pictures? Of our parents,” she shook her head, tears swarming in her eyes.
He pulled her to him and took the paper from her shaking hands. “I told you, Ashlee, its trash.” He crumbled the pages in his left hand, keeping her tightly pressed to him with his right arm. “Don’t think about this. Just concentrate on your mum. She needs you right now.” Rocky used his thumbs to wipe at the angry tears that rested on her cheeks. “Focus on that,” he held up the paper. “And I’ll take care of this.” She held his gaze and nodded. He felt the trust she had in him and prayed he lived up to it. ‘Please Coop,’ he prayed. ‘Help your twin out.’
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Daisy pulled the fork from her mouth and watched Nate enjoy another bite of the rich treat. She swallowed trying to think of a way to bring up the kiss and ask him what it meant. If it meant anything. She closed her eyes and leaned back in her chair. Maybe she was making too big a deal out of it. The touch wasn’t that long, but man she could still feel the pressure of his lips on hers. Unconsciously, she rolled her lips together and licked at them with her tongue. If she concentrated hard enough, she could still taste him under the rich decadence of the chocolate cake.
He looked up at her and she noticed a small amount of icing in the corner of the right side of his mouth. She lifted her hand to wipe the dark brown icing from his lips then stopped. She didn’t have the right to do that. She wasn’t his girlfriend, Sarah was. Daisy quickly jumped from the chair and started picking up her empty plate that was smeared with pieces of cake and icing. His hand reached out and captured her wrist. She inhaled deeply, looking carefully at the way his skin looked against hers. With a controlled expression, she didn’t want to give away the fact that her insides were quivering; Daisy met his endless brown eyes.
“You didn’t ask,” he said in that sexy Texas drawl.
“Ask,” she pretended she had no idea what he meant. She wanted him to keep talking.
“You didn’t ask, why I kissed you when I have a girlfriend,” he stood up and walked toward her stock still body. “I wasn’t cheating. Sarah and I broke up three weeks ago because I can’t get you out of my mind, Daisy.” Her breathing stalled in her throat. She was sure she heard him wrong. “I’ve been thinking about you for months.” He wrapped his left hand up in her curly brown hair. “I’ve spent the last three weeks trying to get up the courage to ask you, would you like to go out sometime,” he ducked his head and she grinned at the embarrassed flush of his cheeks. If she wasn’t already completely nuts for him that would have done it. “I mean, uh, if you want to…”
He didn’t get to complete his sentence because she surged up on her toes and pressed her mouth to his. Her hands gripped his shoulders as his arms locked around her back, pressing her to him as tight as possible. Her tongue came out to lick at the chocolate that still rested on the corner of his mouth then continued to kiss him. Once the need for air became too great, she pulled back and grinned at him. “I’d love to go out some time.”
Nate’s mouth pulled open in a huge smile. He pressed her against him again and claimed her lips in another soul blazing kiss that made her insides turn to complete mush. Her heart soared under her chest. She couldn’t image being any happier than she was right at that moment.
End Chapter 21
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