Fiction: Serving Up Trouble (chapter 13)
PLEASE READ:
I want to thank everyone that let me know what they thought of the previous chapter and encouraged me to continue posting the other chapters I finish. It makes me more happy than I can ever say to know that even one of you is still enjoying the story and want to see it continued. As prevously posted, I'm not fond of Chloe right now. While writing I thought of shoving her into a wood chipper or doing something else to her *laughing*. As many of you know, once I don't like you, it takes a lot to change my mind and since I have no plans to watch Young and the Restless, because thinking about seeing that character with Chance makes me ill right now, I don't foresee her getting on my good side anytime soon. She is in the story. I'm not going to be mean to her, but she will NOT be getting her hooks into Chance at all. I know that many of you like her, and some are even shipping them together, so because you are all my friends, I'm planning on being as fair to her as I can. Thank you all again for all the support and love you give. This chapter is actually a lot shorter than I wanted it to be, I'm really sorry about that. I hope you enjoy it anyway. **hugs**
This beautiful banner was made by Emm. Thank you so much Emm. It's absolutely gorgeous.
Title: Serving Up Trouble
Author: Jailynn
Rating: PG-13
Warning: I can't edit to save my life. Please forgive all mistakes... some talk about violence toward Ashlee
Disclaimer: Not mine
Fandom: Y&R/GL
Type: Crossover, romance, friendship, humor, drama, angst, AU
Author's Note: Chance doesn't even notice Chloe much at all. He only has eyes for Ashlee. And Phillip is still not around yet. It just goes to show how Alt-Universe my story really is. *laughing*
Feedback: Please and thank you
Word Count: 4672
-[]-
He wakes up in a cold sweat. His heart is pounding in his throat, the images from his mind fading with each harsh breath that leaves his chest. Chance pulls his legs up and rests his elbows on his knees. His head drops into his hands, running his fingers through his short dark brown hair. Closing his eyes he tries to both concentrate on his nightmare and push it away. The left side of his face starts twitching as his stress levels increase. Climbing out of his bed, he paces the floor to the side of it.
Chance feels his cool breaking down. The symptoms he hasn't felt since being around Ashlee sends him reeling. Ever since he got back from her house two and a half weeks ago, reluctantly leaving her alone after being assured repeatedly she was okay, an assurance he didn't believe for a second, he has been floating between anger, fear and confusion. Ashlee shut down completely after those damn flowers showed up, only saying a few words to him when he corners her. Her eyes lost some of their bright blue and her usual glow dimmed so much he could physically feel it leave. Chance mourned it quietly to himself even as he clenched his fist tightly at the realization there is so much about her that he doesn't have a clue about.
When they left the bathroom that day, she spent several minutes avoiding looking in the direction on the trash. It was obvious that she was doing all she could to look anywhere but at those bundled blooms. He managed to get her to the couch, guiding her slowly through her living room. Her thumb pressed to her lips as she nipped at the skin and the nail. Her leg bounced and her other arm wrapped tightly around her waist. She would look at him and he knows now, just like he knew then, that her eyes weren't taking in a single detail because her mind was blocking new information as it forced her to see the past. Chance finally took the flowers outside in the rain and tossed them into her neighbors trash, that way she wouldn't see them when she took her own trash out.
While standing in the rain, the first symptoms surfaced, the shaking of his hand and the pinch of his nerve in his right cheek. A cold, blind rage swept over him and he kicked the garbage can with all his might, denting it in the process. The reality of how much pain she was in was killing him. Chance hasn't felt like crying much since he was eight and broke his arm four places while riding a friends dirt bike, but as he stood there in the storm, with huge angry clouds rolling slowly above him and spear like rain drops falling on him, he wanted to scream and sob to the heavens. Only the knowledge that he needed to be strong for her and his own pride stopped him from giving into that irrational need.
He spent another two hours watching Ashlee not react. But that in and of itself was all the reaction he needed. She made them supper, her movement mechanical and thoughtless, which he guessed was the point and they ate in silence. He helped her clean and offered (begged) to stay with her. She just smiled a fake smile and kissed him on the cheek, “I'm better now, Chance.” She told him. She never met his eyes. “I can take care of myself tonight. Go home, I'll see you in the morning.”
It was the way she said the last words that really made him uneasy. She paused and her voice broke. She rubbed her hands together then forced them to stay at her sides. Ashlee's left foot tapped out a rhythm that was both erratic and easy to follow. Tap, tap, tap, pause, tap, tap, tap, tap, shuffle, tap. He pulled her to him, hugging her, needing her to know that he was there, even if she wasn't ready for him yet, then slowly walked to the door. He waited, hoped, that she would stop him, but deep down he knew she wouldn't. So now here he is, chest chilling slightly from the drying sweat, and scared. His fears still clinging to him as the last visuals of his dream evaporates into the deep voids of his subconscious. A dream that had her standing on a cliff in the middle of a raging sea, her hand outstretched to him, her mouth opened in a silent scream, and him completely unable to reach her as the waves swallow her up and take her away from him forever.
Falling onto his bed Chance tries to find some semblance of calm. He needs to settle down or he is going to drown in worry. He wishes she would have let him in. He wishes she would have done anything but shut down. Ashlee being so distant with him felt wrong. He makes him feel like there is a part of him out of control. Which makes him sound like a possessive boyfriend...His head pops up from hanging down...boyfriend? Is he her boyfriend? Is she his girlfriend? Have they reached that point in their relationship? Did they have a relationship? He runs his hand through his hair again. Chance knows that he loves being around her, can't imagine not being around her. He craves her scent, her taste, her laughter, the zany way she looks at life. He thinks about her all the time, for those two weeks he avoided her she was always in the dark confides of his mind. He would look for her and that was only partly because he was trying not to be around her.
Now he is really in deep. Now he knows exactly what it's like to have her in his life. And now he knows that if he loses her, loses that calming connection, he might be completely overwhelmed by all the other things in his world. Chance takes a deep breath and tries to reconcile the idea that he is so consumed already by the blonde dynamite. He's never been here before. Never been so needy with another person. He's never had someone take over his mind in the way Ashlee has. Honestly he doesn't even know what is happening, what to call it. Taking a deep breath, he wanders over to his computer and turns it on. He needs a distraction from his thoughts, from his fears, from this...whatever it is that is making him want to jump in his car and rush over to her home and beg her to let him in.
The machine hums to life in front of him. The monitor lighting up and welcoming him back. He waits for a moment trying to decide what to do. It doesn't take him long to click on the world icon and log into his email. A rush of peace washes over him as he types in RoseMaryandTyme2343 email address. His fingers touch the keyboard and the letter flows without him having to put too much thought into what he wants to say. Suddenly he doesn't care about the boundaries they have put up, he doesn't care about showing too much of himself. Chance just needs to know what she thinks. He needs her perspective. He needs her to help him help Ashlee.
Rose-
I know it's been a long time since we last talked. I hope everything is going well in your life. I hope the guy you spoke of in our last set of emails is treating you right. If he isn't just let me at him and I'll show him how to treat an amazing woman like yourself. My life is still a bit out of control. I went to take the test for Huntington's disease yesterday. So many things are happening to me and I needed this one part to be taken care of. I figure maybe if I get the answers I need there, then maybe other important answers will be revealed to me. And actually that's why I'm writing you now. I really need your advice on the woman in my life.
Have you ever wanted to help someone so much that it hurts physically to be cut out? I'm there now. I have this beautiful person that I can't help but want to be with and I feel like I've learned so much about her, but not nearly enough to be the one she turns to. She has some darkness in her past. Darkness that she isn't willing, or maybe the right word is ready, to share with me. It kills me to know that I'm not enough for her, that she is shutting down in front of me and there is nothing I can do. And that's the part that really hurts. Even if I could help her, I don't know how. I've never been in this kind of situation before. Meaning I've never had a real connection or anything really with a woman before. I've dated, but it's never been serious. I've never wanted it to be serious...until now. I want that with her. And now I'm scared that she is completely out of my reach.
From what little she has told me, I gather most of her problems stem from a past relationship. She's hinted that her last boyfriend was abusive, much like yours was to you. She told me of the last time he hit her, it was so bad that she was hospitalized and did something crazy to get away from him. This woman won't go into details but the look on her face tells me so much. Grady broke something inside of Ashlee, that's her name, and I don't know if I can fix that. I desperately want to fix that part of her, because I need her. We've only known each other for a little over a month and a half but she's so special and makes me so happy. I can't remember ever being this happy with another person. She's even got me writing long, mushy emails to my friend. I need your help, Rose. Whatever you can tell me...
Thank you,
Your friend,
ArmyBound2006-- who's real name is Chance.
He reads over the letter one more time, his heart pounding at breaking the barrier between them. Licking his lips, he rubs his eyebrow with his thumb, closes his eyes and hits the send button effectively sending the letter to Rose's computer. Once he opens his eyes back up and sees the “message sent” screen on his computer, Chance breaths a sigh of relief. He isn't nervous at all by the thought of “showing his cards”, so to speak, to Rose. He trusts her and knows deep down that he made the right choice. Now he just has to wait for a reply... that, he believes, will be the hard part.
-[]-
Jill taps the information Paul gave her against her palm anxiously. She looks around the small town beyond the person's yard and sighs. All small towns are the same. The door in front of her opens and she turns back around to face the man standing in the opening. His body is slender and a tiny bit lanky. His dark brown hair is long and desperately in need of a trim or maybe more immediately a comb. The lower half of his face is cover in a thick shadow of hair, stubble is just to weak a word for the look. He is wearing a t-shirt that had faded letters across the front that could be a name brand or maybe just a phrase. It is hard to tell with the amount of wear the shirt showed. The rest of his body is covered in a pair of worn out jeans. White spots in the knees and fraying around the hem were again great indicators of the amount of use they got.
The guy leans against the door frame and crosses his arms over his chest, letting his dark brown eyes roam over her body. She straightens up and narrows her brown eyes back at him. “Grady Foley?”
A slimy grin spreads across his face, making Jill shiver a tiny bit. There is something very wrong about him. Suddenly she questions her decision to meet with him about Ashlee. Maybe Ashlee had a reason for doing what she did... Jill mentally pushes those thoughts down. Ashlee is already making Chance miserable and that is something that Jill will not let happen. She has to get rid of that blonde before she bring him down completely.
“Yes,” he says in an Australian accented voice. His tone adds another level of slime to him. “Who's asking?”
“Jill Abbott,” she holds her hand out to him. He doesn't take it. She lets it drop to her side. “I've come here to talk to you about someone we both know.”
“And who might that be,” Grady pushes from the door frame and moves out onto the front porch.
“Ashlee Wolfe,” Jill responds.
“Ashlee,” Grady breathes. “Yeah, I definitely know her.”
“Do you know where she is?”
“I might,” he hedges, but doesn't fool her at all. He knows exactly where Ashlee is.
“I have a private jet waiting on the tarmac at the Springfield airport,” Jill crosses her arms in front of her chest and tries to convince herself that she is doing the right thing. She just can't let Ashlee destroy Chance. She just can't and if Grady can stop that... she shakes off her reservations and moves forward with her plan. “Would you like to see her again? Maybe set this,” she waves the information about his arrest for kidnapping in front of his face, “right?”
Grady pauses for a half a second then grins, “I'll just go get some clothes. I have a feeling Ashlee will definitely want me to stay. She has always loved me. And really who could blame her?”
Jill watches as he goes back inside and finally lets out the shiver she's been suppressing.
-[]-
She looks over her ingredients one more time, feeling like she is forgetting something important. Eggs, vanilla extract, sugar, milk, salt, flour, coco powder...what is she forgetting? This is an easy recipe. One she has made at least a hundred times. It isn't a difficult thing to make. She pushes her hair out of her eyes and tries not to hyperventilate. This isn't like her. Even at her worst with Grady she was always able to focus when it came to food... Ashlee could always find her way when her hands were busy creating a meal or a dessert. Ever since those damn wildflowers showed up while Chance was there though, she couldn't seem to find that pool of peace she always had.
Tears well up in her eyes and she moves from behind the counter to the back door. Sliding outside she presses her back against the exterior of the Chancellor mansion and closes her eyes as tight as she can. Drops of water leak from beneath her lids, falling down her cheeks. She tries to keep her breathing under control, even as everything else falls down around her.
“Ashlee,” a female voice calls from behind her.
She wipes at the tears quickly, turning to face Katherine. She pushes a smile onto her face and tries to stop her chin from wobbling. Sobbing in front of her boss, in the middle of a work day, probably isn't the most professional thing in the world to do. And Ashlee never wants Mrs. C to regret hiring her. “Mrs. C,” she greets her with as much enthusiasm as she can. “How are you doing? Would you like me to make you something?”
Katherine's kind, clever blue eyes watch her as she moves closer, pulling her summer straw hat from her head. She comes to stand in front of Ashlee and gently holds Ashlee's chin in her hand, examining the tear streaks. “I think I should be asking you how you feel young lady. Why are you crying? Does it have something to do with the tension between you and my great-grandson?” Ashlee's eyes get large in their sockets and Katherine smiles in a knowing way. “I'm old, but my eyesight is just fine. It isn't that hard to see that something is happening or maybe has already happened between you two.”
“Uh,” Ashlee's mouth opens and closes in embarrassment. She guesses the intensity that flows between them is easy to pick up on, but with all the things going on in her head, she hasn't really stopped to think about it. Honestly the past two weeks have been strained at best. When she is with him lately it's like a wall in forming and she doesn't know how to stop it. Those flowers and the emails she is still getting were not only taking a toll on her, but on her ability to be with Chance. Someone she desperately wants to be with. Grady is once again controlling her and she didn't know what to do about it. Her shoulders fall a little more under the weight and she gnaws her bottom lip bloody. “Chance isn't the reason I'm so upset right now...I mean I really enjoy your great-grandson,” at Katherine's raised eyebrow, she reevaluates her statement. Her mouth drops open again and she rushes to correct her statement. “I mean I enjoy being around your great-grandson, not that I...I mean we haven't...there has been no enjoying-ment between us. Yes we've kissed a lot and I wouldn't mind doing more, but we...”
Katherine holds up her hand, her blue eyes silently laughing at Ashlee's rambling diatribe. “I understand, Miss Wolfe. You really needn't explain in so much detail.”
“I'm sorry,” Ashlee blushes. “Sometimes my mouth leaps ahead of my brain and I can't seem to stop it. Especially when I'm nervous or embarrassed.”
“And why would you be embarrassed? Chance is quite a young man,” Katherine tells her with pride in her voice.
“Yes he is,” Ashlee agrees.
“So, if he isn't the reason for the tears, then what or who, may I ask, is?” Ashlee looks quickly away from Katherine toward the pool and begins to bite at her bottom lip again. “You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, but I've led quite a full life and I might be able to help you.”
After another second, Ashlee looks back at her boss. “I don't want you to regret hiring me and I'm nervous that if I tell you, you might.”
“Why don't you let me decide that,” Katherine replies gently.
Taking a deep breath, Ashlee nods, “I have a really...dark past. My ex, he wasn't very nice. His favorite game was to punch me when he felt like it. Grady...he, um, he's dangerous. The last time, uh, he put me into a coma. Of course he told the police that it was my fault. I'm naturally clumsy, but even I couldn't have done that much damage to myself. The police- well their hands were tied. No evidence, no witnesses- except me and I couldn't tell them anything, he got away with it.” Ashlee shakes her head as the images crawl before her like some sick, twisted, distorted movie. “When I finally came to, a week later, I knew that I had to get away from him. So I set some things into motion. I set him up to make it look like he was going to kidnap me. I planted just enough evidence. Grady was arrested, but of course the charges were dropped. I wasn't kidnapped after all and they eventually figured out I was framing him. The judge awarded me a restraining order and I never went back to him.” She wrings her hands together, her shoulders tightening. “I got him out of my life, I was free,” she hangs her head, letting her hair cover her face as her forehead knots in remembered pain. “Until now...”
“What does that mean, until now,” Katherine questions from beside her. “Has he made contact? Is he in Genoa City?”
Ashlee's biting laughter stops her from speaking anymore. She looks at her boss and shrugs, “I don't know. That's the problem. Grady is smart. He loves, lives for, being in control of me especially.” She pauses and looks toward the pool again. “I've been getting emails from someone. I don't know who, but I'd bet money, no, I'd bet my life that it's him. I also got some wildflowers, the kind he always sent me or gave me after...well after.” She swallows. “It started when I started to get close to Chance...” She let her unfinished, unspoken, thought hang between them.
“You think he's doing it because your dating and getting very close to Chance,” Katherine states. It isn't a question and Ashlee doesn't answer verbally, just shrugs. She doesn't want to say it out loud because then her fears are out there and confirmed. She even shivers a little at Katherine saying it. “Have you talked to Chance about it?”
“No,” she admits. “I've been...distant with him lately.” Tears well up in her eyes and the pain of it all nearly chokes her. “I think, I think that he is better off if I just don't...he deserves someone that isn't so messed up and until I can get Grady completely out of my life, I'll never be good enough.”
“Now you listen to me,” Katherine starts firmly. “Chance is a grown man and you need to let him decide what to do. If he wants to stand by you, which I have no doubt that he will, then you let him. I have a feeling that he will be exactly what you need. As for Grady...does he know where you live?” She nods. “Then you need to get out of there.”
“I don't have enough money to break my lease,” Ashlee says, feeling like a failure.
“You let me take care of that,” Katherine tells her. She holds Ashlee's hand in hers and pats the back.
“I have no where else to go,” Ashlee tries again.
“Yes you do,” her boss grins compassionately at her. “This old mansion has more than enough room for friends. I'll have Missy get a room ready for you.” Ashlee opens her mouth to decline, but stops when Katherine levels her with a sharp glance. “I will not take no for an answer.”
“Thank you,” she breathes, relieved that she won't be by herself. “What about Moxie?”
Katherine grins, “Your dog is more than welcome. She's quite a special animal.”
Ashlee returns her grin, feeling lighter than she has since the Grady stuff started. “Yes she is. I'll try to get moved in as soon as possible.”
“Why don't you give me the keys and I'll have some people over there today to move your stuff over. That way you won't have to worry about it.”
Gratitude fills her up, “Thank you, Mrs. C.” Katherine pats her hand again and takes the key to her home from her. Ashlee walks back into the kitchen and begins baking. Nothing is blocking her from creating now and for that Ashlee couldn't thank Katherine enough.
-[]-
Nina smiles as her son joins her, Mac, Chloe and Billy in the sitting room. She loves her son and loves him more now because if she had to endure anymore of Billy's crap she was going to break her laptop over his head. Chance leans over and kisses her on the cheek. “Did you sleep alright,” she whispers to him. He shrugs, but the dark circles under his eyes tell her all she needs to know.
Her concern must be written on her face, because he rolls his eyes a little. “I'm fine mom.”
“You don't seem fine,” she replies. His face pulls a little and she backs off. “Chance have you met Chloe? Billy's wife,” she adds to watch Mac squirm a little. The girl is sweet, but really she could do better than Billy.
Chance holds out his hand to Chloe and smiles politely. “Nice to meet you.”
Chloe gives her son the once over and grins flirtatiously at him, “You too.” Chance takes his hand back and moves away from the married woman. “So I hear you were in Iraq.”
“Yeah,” he nods, coming to sit next to Nina. “I just got back a couple weeks ago.”
“Must have been really scary over there,” Chance shrugs. Chloe looks over at Billy, who in turn looks between his wife and Chance. Nina is very tempted to roll her eyes at the jealous games the two were playing. With a quick glance at Mac, she can tell that Mac is a player in the game as well. “Are you enjoying being back home?”
Chance turns his head as Ashlee walks in carrying a tray of hot Blondie brownies. Nina smiles at the soft look that crosses his face. “Yeah,” he answers Chloe's question. “I'm glad to be back.”
Ashlee looks up and grins at him. The rest of the tension leaves her son's shoulders. He stands quickly and walks over to her. Nina chuckles to herself and returns to observing the group of young people in the room. This will make a great basis for a new screen play...
-[]-
Chance moves as close to Ashlee as he possibly can. He ducks his head slightly so that their eyes lock. “Are you okay?” She grins, the light is back in her eyes, and nods. He can feel his muscles relaxing one by one at her smile. “Good,” he tucks some of her silky honey colored hair behind her ear, completely forgetting they weren't alone, or more importantly that his mother was in the room. “I was worried.”
“I know you were,” she leans into his hand. “I'm sorry I've been so distant lately. I just...I was just scared, but now... I feel better now.” She laughs a little giddily. “I have some news.”
“Oh really,” he leans a little closer. “What kind of news?”
“Well, Mrs. C has asked me...”
The rest of her words get lost as Jill walks in the room. “Oh I see everyone's here.” Chance looks around and notices that Esther and Katherine have both come into the room as well. He looks back at his grandmother and watches her eyes search out Ashlee. He unconsciously takes another step closer to his girlfriend. “Good. I have someone I want you all to meet. Although, Ashlee, I think you might already know them.” Ashlee's body shakes a little. “Everyone,” a guy steps out from the shadows and Ashlee drops the glass platter she's holding with the brownies on it, the plate shatters at their feet and everyone turns to look in her direction then back at Jill. Chance continues to look at Ashlee and watches the blood drain from her face and her eyes fill with fear. “This is Grady Foley.” Chance looks back at the man he hadn't really paid attention to before and clenches his fists at his sides then wraps an arm around Ashlee's shoulders, feeling her whole body tremble. “Ashlee's ex.”
Next to him, Ashlee's body goes still then starts to crumble. He catches her in his arms a second before she hits the ground.
TBC>>>
I want to thank everyone that let me know what they thought of the previous chapter and encouraged me to continue posting the other chapters I finish. It makes me more happy than I can ever say to know that even one of you is still enjoying the story and want to see it continued. As prevously posted, I'm not fond of Chloe right now. While writing I thought of shoving her into a wood chipper or doing something else to her *laughing*. As many of you know, once I don't like you, it takes a lot to change my mind and since I have no plans to watch Young and the Restless, because thinking about seeing that character with Chance makes me ill right now, I don't foresee her getting on my good side anytime soon. She is in the story. I'm not going to be mean to her, but she will NOT be getting her hooks into Chance at all. I know that many of you like her, and some are even shipping them together, so because you are all my friends, I'm planning on being as fair to her as I can. Thank you all again for all the support and love you give. This chapter is actually a lot shorter than I wanted it to be, I'm really sorry about that. I hope you enjoy it anyway. **hugs**
This beautiful banner was made by Emm. Thank you so much Emm. It's absolutely gorgeous.
Title: Serving Up Trouble
Author: Jailynn
Rating: PG-13
Warning: I can't edit to save my life. Please forgive all mistakes... some talk about violence toward Ashlee
Disclaimer: Not mine
Fandom: Y&R/GL
Type: Crossover, romance, friendship, humor, drama, angst, AU
Author's Note: Chance doesn't even notice Chloe much at all. He only has eyes for Ashlee. And Phillip is still not around yet. It just goes to show how Alt-Universe my story really is. *laughing*
Feedback: Please and thank you
Word Count: 4672
-[]-
He wakes up in a cold sweat. His heart is pounding in his throat, the images from his mind fading with each harsh breath that leaves his chest. Chance pulls his legs up and rests his elbows on his knees. His head drops into his hands, running his fingers through his short dark brown hair. Closing his eyes he tries to both concentrate on his nightmare and push it away. The left side of his face starts twitching as his stress levels increase. Climbing out of his bed, he paces the floor to the side of it.
Chance feels his cool breaking down. The symptoms he hasn't felt since being around Ashlee sends him reeling. Ever since he got back from her house two and a half weeks ago, reluctantly leaving her alone after being assured repeatedly she was okay, an assurance he didn't believe for a second, he has been floating between anger, fear and confusion. Ashlee shut down completely after those damn flowers showed up, only saying a few words to him when he corners her. Her eyes lost some of their bright blue and her usual glow dimmed so much he could physically feel it leave. Chance mourned it quietly to himself even as he clenched his fist tightly at the realization there is so much about her that he doesn't have a clue about.
When they left the bathroom that day, she spent several minutes avoiding looking in the direction on the trash. It was obvious that she was doing all she could to look anywhere but at those bundled blooms. He managed to get her to the couch, guiding her slowly through her living room. Her thumb pressed to her lips as she nipped at the skin and the nail. Her leg bounced and her other arm wrapped tightly around her waist. She would look at him and he knows now, just like he knew then, that her eyes weren't taking in a single detail because her mind was blocking new information as it forced her to see the past. Chance finally took the flowers outside in the rain and tossed them into her neighbors trash, that way she wouldn't see them when she took her own trash out.
While standing in the rain, the first symptoms surfaced, the shaking of his hand and the pinch of his nerve in his right cheek. A cold, blind rage swept over him and he kicked the garbage can with all his might, denting it in the process. The reality of how much pain she was in was killing him. Chance hasn't felt like crying much since he was eight and broke his arm four places while riding a friends dirt bike, but as he stood there in the storm, with huge angry clouds rolling slowly above him and spear like rain drops falling on him, he wanted to scream and sob to the heavens. Only the knowledge that he needed to be strong for her and his own pride stopped him from giving into that irrational need.
He spent another two hours watching Ashlee not react. But that in and of itself was all the reaction he needed. She made them supper, her movement mechanical and thoughtless, which he guessed was the point and they ate in silence. He helped her clean and offered (begged) to stay with her. She just smiled a fake smile and kissed him on the cheek, “I'm better now, Chance.” She told him. She never met his eyes. “I can take care of myself tonight. Go home, I'll see you in the morning.”
It was the way she said the last words that really made him uneasy. She paused and her voice broke. She rubbed her hands together then forced them to stay at her sides. Ashlee's left foot tapped out a rhythm that was both erratic and easy to follow. Tap, tap, tap, pause, tap, tap, tap, tap, shuffle, tap. He pulled her to him, hugging her, needing her to know that he was there, even if she wasn't ready for him yet, then slowly walked to the door. He waited, hoped, that she would stop him, but deep down he knew she wouldn't. So now here he is, chest chilling slightly from the drying sweat, and scared. His fears still clinging to him as the last visuals of his dream evaporates into the deep voids of his subconscious. A dream that had her standing on a cliff in the middle of a raging sea, her hand outstretched to him, her mouth opened in a silent scream, and him completely unable to reach her as the waves swallow her up and take her away from him forever.
Falling onto his bed Chance tries to find some semblance of calm. He needs to settle down or he is going to drown in worry. He wishes she would have let him in. He wishes she would have done anything but shut down. Ashlee being so distant with him felt wrong. He makes him feel like there is a part of him out of control. Which makes him sound like a possessive boyfriend...His head pops up from hanging down...boyfriend? Is he her boyfriend? Is she his girlfriend? Have they reached that point in their relationship? Did they have a relationship? He runs his hand through his hair again. Chance knows that he loves being around her, can't imagine not being around her. He craves her scent, her taste, her laughter, the zany way she looks at life. He thinks about her all the time, for those two weeks he avoided her she was always in the dark confides of his mind. He would look for her and that was only partly because he was trying not to be around her.
Now he is really in deep. Now he knows exactly what it's like to have her in his life. And now he knows that if he loses her, loses that calming connection, he might be completely overwhelmed by all the other things in his world. Chance takes a deep breath and tries to reconcile the idea that he is so consumed already by the blonde dynamite. He's never been here before. Never been so needy with another person. He's never had someone take over his mind in the way Ashlee has. Honestly he doesn't even know what is happening, what to call it. Taking a deep breath, he wanders over to his computer and turns it on. He needs a distraction from his thoughts, from his fears, from this...whatever it is that is making him want to jump in his car and rush over to her home and beg her to let him in.
The machine hums to life in front of him. The monitor lighting up and welcoming him back. He waits for a moment trying to decide what to do. It doesn't take him long to click on the world icon and log into his email. A rush of peace washes over him as he types in RoseMaryandTyme2343 email address. His fingers touch the keyboard and the letter flows without him having to put too much thought into what he wants to say. Suddenly he doesn't care about the boundaries they have put up, he doesn't care about showing too much of himself. Chance just needs to know what she thinks. He needs her perspective. He needs her to help him help Ashlee.
Rose-
I know it's been a long time since we last talked. I hope everything is going well in your life. I hope the guy you spoke of in our last set of emails is treating you right. If he isn't just let me at him and I'll show him how to treat an amazing woman like yourself. My life is still a bit out of control. I went to take the test for Huntington's disease yesterday. So many things are happening to me and I needed this one part to be taken care of. I figure maybe if I get the answers I need there, then maybe other important answers will be revealed to me. And actually that's why I'm writing you now. I really need your advice on the woman in my life.
Have you ever wanted to help someone so much that it hurts physically to be cut out? I'm there now. I have this beautiful person that I can't help but want to be with and I feel like I've learned so much about her, but not nearly enough to be the one she turns to. She has some darkness in her past. Darkness that she isn't willing, or maybe the right word is ready, to share with me. It kills me to know that I'm not enough for her, that she is shutting down in front of me and there is nothing I can do. And that's the part that really hurts. Even if I could help her, I don't know how. I've never been in this kind of situation before. Meaning I've never had a real connection or anything really with a woman before. I've dated, but it's never been serious. I've never wanted it to be serious...until now. I want that with her. And now I'm scared that she is completely out of my reach.
From what little she has told me, I gather most of her problems stem from a past relationship. She's hinted that her last boyfriend was abusive, much like yours was to you. She told me of the last time he hit her, it was so bad that she was hospitalized and did something crazy to get away from him. This woman won't go into details but the look on her face tells me so much. Grady broke something inside of Ashlee, that's her name, and I don't know if I can fix that. I desperately want to fix that part of her, because I need her. We've only known each other for a little over a month and a half but she's so special and makes me so happy. I can't remember ever being this happy with another person. She's even got me writing long, mushy emails to my friend. I need your help, Rose. Whatever you can tell me...
Thank you,
Your friend,
ArmyBound2006-- who's real name is Chance.
He reads over the letter one more time, his heart pounding at breaking the barrier between them. Licking his lips, he rubs his eyebrow with his thumb, closes his eyes and hits the send button effectively sending the letter to Rose's computer. Once he opens his eyes back up and sees the “message sent” screen on his computer, Chance breaths a sigh of relief. He isn't nervous at all by the thought of “showing his cards”, so to speak, to Rose. He trusts her and knows deep down that he made the right choice. Now he just has to wait for a reply... that, he believes, will be the hard part.
-[]-
Jill taps the information Paul gave her against her palm anxiously. She looks around the small town beyond the person's yard and sighs. All small towns are the same. The door in front of her opens and she turns back around to face the man standing in the opening. His body is slender and a tiny bit lanky. His dark brown hair is long and desperately in need of a trim or maybe more immediately a comb. The lower half of his face is cover in a thick shadow of hair, stubble is just to weak a word for the look. He is wearing a t-shirt that had faded letters across the front that could be a name brand or maybe just a phrase. It is hard to tell with the amount of wear the shirt showed. The rest of his body is covered in a pair of worn out jeans. White spots in the knees and fraying around the hem were again great indicators of the amount of use they got.
The guy leans against the door frame and crosses his arms over his chest, letting his dark brown eyes roam over her body. She straightens up and narrows her brown eyes back at him. “Grady Foley?”
A slimy grin spreads across his face, making Jill shiver a tiny bit. There is something very wrong about him. Suddenly she questions her decision to meet with him about Ashlee. Maybe Ashlee had a reason for doing what she did... Jill mentally pushes those thoughts down. Ashlee is already making Chance miserable and that is something that Jill will not let happen. She has to get rid of that blonde before she bring him down completely.
“Yes,” he says in an Australian accented voice. His tone adds another level of slime to him. “Who's asking?”
“Jill Abbott,” she holds her hand out to him. He doesn't take it. She lets it drop to her side. “I've come here to talk to you about someone we both know.”
“And who might that be,” Grady pushes from the door frame and moves out onto the front porch.
“Ashlee Wolfe,” Jill responds.
“Ashlee,” Grady breathes. “Yeah, I definitely know her.”
“Do you know where she is?”
“I might,” he hedges, but doesn't fool her at all. He knows exactly where Ashlee is.
“I have a private jet waiting on the tarmac at the Springfield airport,” Jill crosses her arms in front of her chest and tries to convince herself that she is doing the right thing. She just can't let Ashlee destroy Chance. She just can't and if Grady can stop that... she shakes off her reservations and moves forward with her plan. “Would you like to see her again? Maybe set this,” she waves the information about his arrest for kidnapping in front of his face, “right?”
Grady pauses for a half a second then grins, “I'll just go get some clothes. I have a feeling Ashlee will definitely want me to stay. She has always loved me. And really who could blame her?”
Jill watches as he goes back inside and finally lets out the shiver she's been suppressing.
-[]-
She looks over her ingredients one more time, feeling like she is forgetting something important. Eggs, vanilla extract, sugar, milk, salt, flour, coco powder...what is she forgetting? This is an easy recipe. One she has made at least a hundred times. It isn't a difficult thing to make. She pushes her hair out of her eyes and tries not to hyperventilate. This isn't like her. Even at her worst with Grady she was always able to focus when it came to food... Ashlee could always find her way when her hands were busy creating a meal or a dessert. Ever since those damn wildflowers showed up while Chance was there though, she couldn't seem to find that pool of peace she always had.
Tears well up in her eyes and she moves from behind the counter to the back door. Sliding outside she presses her back against the exterior of the Chancellor mansion and closes her eyes as tight as she can. Drops of water leak from beneath her lids, falling down her cheeks. She tries to keep her breathing under control, even as everything else falls down around her.
“Ashlee,” a female voice calls from behind her.
She wipes at the tears quickly, turning to face Katherine. She pushes a smile onto her face and tries to stop her chin from wobbling. Sobbing in front of her boss, in the middle of a work day, probably isn't the most professional thing in the world to do. And Ashlee never wants Mrs. C to regret hiring her. “Mrs. C,” she greets her with as much enthusiasm as she can. “How are you doing? Would you like me to make you something?”
Katherine's kind, clever blue eyes watch her as she moves closer, pulling her summer straw hat from her head. She comes to stand in front of Ashlee and gently holds Ashlee's chin in her hand, examining the tear streaks. “I think I should be asking you how you feel young lady. Why are you crying? Does it have something to do with the tension between you and my great-grandson?” Ashlee's eyes get large in their sockets and Katherine smiles in a knowing way. “I'm old, but my eyesight is just fine. It isn't that hard to see that something is happening or maybe has already happened between you two.”
“Uh,” Ashlee's mouth opens and closes in embarrassment. She guesses the intensity that flows between them is easy to pick up on, but with all the things going on in her head, she hasn't really stopped to think about it. Honestly the past two weeks have been strained at best. When she is with him lately it's like a wall in forming and she doesn't know how to stop it. Those flowers and the emails she is still getting were not only taking a toll on her, but on her ability to be with Chance. Someone she desperately wants to be with. Grady is once again controlling her and she didn't know what to do about it. Her shoulders fall a little more under the weight and she gnaws her bottom lip bloody. “Chance isn't the reason I'm so upset right now...I mean I really enjoy your great-grandson,” at Katherine's raised eyebrow, she reevaluates her statement. Her mouth drops open again and she rushes to correct her statement. “I mean I enjoy being around your great-grandson, not that I...I mean we haven't...there has been no enjoying-ment between us. Yes we've kissed a lot and I wouldn't mind doing more, but we...”
Katherine holds up her hand, her blue eyes silently laughing at Ashlee's rambling diatribe. “I understand, Miss Wolfe. You really needn't explain in so much detail.”
“I'm sorry,” Ashlee blushes. “Sometimes my mouth leaps ahead of my brain and I can't seem to stop it. Especially when I'm nervous or embarrassed.”
“And why would you be embarrassed? Chance is quite a young man,” Katherine tells her with pride in her voice.
“Yes he is,” Ashlee agrees.
“So, if he isn't the reason for the tears, then what or who, may I ask, is?” Ashlee looks quickly away from Katherine toward the pool and begins to bite at her bottom lip again. “You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, but I've led quite a full life and I might be able to help you.”
After another second, Ashlee looks back at her boss. “I don't want you to regret hiring me and I'm nervous that if I tell you, you might.”
“Why don't you let me decide that,” Katherine replies gently.
Taking a deep breath, Ashlee nods, “I have a really...dark past. My ex, he wasn't very nice. His favorite game was to punch me when he felt like it. Grady...he, um, he's dangerous. The last time, uh, he put me into a coma. Of course he told the police that it was my fault. I'm naturally clumsy, but even I couldn't have done that much damage to myself. The police- well their hands were tied. No evidence, no witnesses- except me and I couldn't tell them anything, he got away with it.” Ashlee shakes her head as the images crawl before her like some sick, twisted, distorted movie. “When I finally came to, a week later, I knew that I had to get away from him. So I set some things into motion. I set him up to make it look like he was going to kidnap me. I planted just enough evidence. Grady was arrested, but of course the charges were dropped. I wasn't kidnapped after all and they eventually figured out I was framing him. The judge awarded me a restraining order and I never went back to him.” She wrings her hands together, her shoulders tightening. “I got him out of my life, I was free,” she hangs her head, letting her hair cover her face as her forehead knots in remembered pain. “Until now...”
“What does that mean, until now,” Katherine questions from beside her. “Has he made contact? Is he in Genoa City?”
Ashlee's biting laughter stops her from speaking anymore. She looks at her boss and shrugs, “I don't know. That's the problem. Grady is smart. He loves, lives for, being in control of me especially.” She pauses and looks toward the pool again. “I've been getting emails from someone. I don't know who, but I'd bet money, no, I'd bet my life that it's him. I also got some wildflowers, the kind he always sent me or gave me after...well after.” She swallows. “It started when I started to get close to Chance...” She let her unfinished, unspoken, thought hang between them.
“You think he's doing it because your dating and getting very close to Chance,” Katherine states. It isn't a question and Ashlee doesn't answer verbally, just shrugs. She doesn't want to say it out loud because then her fears are out there and confirmed. She even shivers a little at Katherine saying it. “Have you talked to Chance about it?”
“No,” she admits. “I've been...distant with him lately.” Tears well up in her eyes and the pain of it all nearly chokes her. “I think, I think that he is better off if I just don't...he deserves someone that isn't so messed up and until I can get Grady completely out of my life, I'll never be good enough.”
“Now you listen to me,” Katherine starts firmly. “Chance is a grown man and you need to let him decide what to do. If he wants to stand by you, which I have no doubt that he will, then you let him. I have a feeling that he will be exactly what you need. As for Grady...does he know where you live?” She nods. “Then you need to get out of there.”
“I don't have enough money to break my lease,” Ashlee says, feeling like a failure.
“You let me take care of that,” Katherine tells her. She holds Ashlee's hand in hers and pats the back.
“I have no where else to go,” Ashlee tries again.
“Yes you do,” her boss grins compassionately at her. “This old mansion has more than enough room for friends. I'll have Missy get a room ready for you.” Ashlee opens her mouth to decline, but stops when Katherine levels her with a sharp glance. “I will not take no for an answer.”
“Thank you,” she breathes, relieved that she won't be by herself. “What about Moxie?”
Katherine grins, “Your dog is more than welcome. She's quite a special animal.”
Ashlee returns her grin, feeling lighter than she has since the Grady stuff started. “Yes she is. I'll try to get moved in as soon as possible.”
“Why don't you give me the keys and I'll have some people over there today to move your stuff over. That way you won't have to worry about it.”
Gratitude fills her up, “Thank you, Mrs. C.” Katherine pats her hand again and takes the key to her home from her. Ashlee walks back into the kitchen and begins baking. Nothing is blocking her from creating now and for that Ashlee couldn't thank Katherine enough.
-[]-
Nina smiles as her son joins her, Mac, Chloe and Billy in the sitting room. She loves her son and loves him more now because if she had to endure anymore of Billy's crap she was going to break her laptop over his head. Chance leans over and kisses her on the cheek. “Did you sleep alright,” she whispers to him. He shrugs, but the dark circles under his eyes tell her all she needs to know.
Her concern must be written on her face, because he rolls his eyes a little. “I'm fine mom.”
“You don't seem fine,” she replies. His face pulls a little and she backs off. “Chance have you met Chloe? Billy's wife,” she adds to watch Mac squirm a little. The girl is sweet, but really she could do better than Billy.
Chance holds out his hand to Chloe and smiles politely. “Nice to meet you.”
Chloe gives her son the once over and grins flirtatiously at him, “You too.” Chance takes his hand back and moves away from the married woman. “So I hear you were in Iraq.”
“Yeah,” he nods, coming to sit next to Nina. “I just got back a couple weeks ago.”
“Must have been really scary over there,” Chance shrugs. Chloe looks over at Billy, who in turn looks between his wife and Chance. Nina is very tempted to roll her eyes at the jealous games the two were playing. With a quick glance at Mac, she can tell that Mac is a player in the game as well. “Are you enjoying being back home?”
Chance turns his head as Ashlee walks in carrying a tray of hot Blondie brownies. Nina smiles at the soft look that crosses his face. “Yeah,” he answers Chloe's question. “I'm glad to be back.”
Ashlee looks up and grins at him. The rest of the tension leaves her son's shoulders. He stands quickly and walks over to her. Nina chuckles to herself and returns to observing the group of young people in the room. This will make a great basis for a new screen play...
-[]-
Chance moves as close to Ashlee as he possibly can. He ducks his head slightly so that their eyes lock. “Are you okay?” She grins, the light is back in her eyes, and nods. He can feel his muscles relaxing one by one at her smile. “Good,” he tucks some of her silky honey colored hair behind her ear, completely forgetting they weren't alone, or more importantly that his mother was in the room. “I was worried.”
“I know you were,” she leans into his hand. “I'm sorry I've been so distant lately. I just...I was just scared, but now... I feel better now.” She laughs a little giddily. “I have some news.”
“Oh really,” he leans a little closer. “What kind of news?”
“Well, Mrs. C has asked me...”
The rest of her words get lost as Jill walks in the room. “Oh I see everyone's here.” Chance looks around and notices that Esther and Katherine have both come into the room as well. He looks back at his grandmother and watches her eyes search out Ashlee. He unconsciously takes another step closer to his girlfriend. “Good. I have someone I want you all to meet. Although, Ashlee, I think you might already know them.” Ashlee's body shakes a little. “Everyone,” a guy steps out from the shadows and Ashlee drops the glass platter she's holding with the brownies on it, the plate shatters at their feet and everyone turns to look in her direction then back at Jill. Chance continues to look at Ashlee and watches the blood drain from her face and her eyes fill with fear. “This is Grady Foley.” Chance looks back at the man he hadn't really paid attention to before and clenches his fists at his sides then wraps an arm around Ashlee's shoulders, feeling her whole body tremble. “Ashlee's ex.”
Next to him, Ashlee's body goes still then starts to crumble. He catches her in his arms a second before she hits the ground.
TBC>>>