The friend from Uni.

Not so easy to forget.

I was washing my hands in the bathroom sink of my hotel room trying to get the dirt off as best as possible while I fought to keep the memories at bay. When I looked into the mirror I came face to face with my 12 year old self.

I walked into the house and just made my way to the bathroom. Of course when I past Tyler and Flynn's room, I was seen by Peter.
"Ashley?" He asked as he rushed after me with the twins following.
"Yep."
"What the hell happened? You were just gone?"
"I don't wanna talk about it." I told as I began to scrub the dirt off of my hands.
"Are you covered in dirt?"
"I fell into a ditch."
"We both know you can't lie to me. I know when you are lying."
"Peter please. I don't want to talk about what happened." I told as tears fell down my face but I refused to look at him.
"Ashley.... We've already have lost mum..... I don't want to lose you as well." He told.
We heard the familiar noises, making us pick the twins up and rush to my room to hide them in the cub board with Peter. I locked the door and hid the key like usual and just sat in the middle of the room and waited for him to come in with the belt.

I shook my head to snap myself out of it and I saw tears had began to fall down my face. I turned the taps off and wiped my eyes before grabbing a towel to clean my hands.

(Spencer p.o.v)

I was sitting in my bed reading, which was to try and distract myself from Ash zoning out every now and then. The team has seen the look she sometimes has but haven't asked either of us about it.
'I don't know how to help.'
There was a faint knock at my door making me go over and answer it to see Ash there.
"Ash?"
"Can I sleep here tonight?" She asked.
"Yeah of course." I told making her rush in and I closed the door behind her.
"Has the team questioned you about me zoning out?"
"No."
"Oh ok. That's good I guess."
"You know you don't have to work this case." I told as I tried to settle her pacing that she didn't even know she began.
"It could be linked with the GraveDigger."
"Who?"
"Serial killer who buries people in things. Asks for large sums of money for the location and if you don't deliver well they die. My friends that work with Angie got buried alive last year."
"They ok?"
"Oh yeah. Smart people, we're able to live long enough and send a message through to Shooter who in turn got it to Bone Boy and he worked out what Bug boy was on about. In a cavern they make for mines with trucks and what not in Virginia."
"We weren't notified about it."
"It was Washington district due to them being close to Shooter who's a fed in the Washington base."
"Ash, your pacing." I told making her look up to me.
"Hm?" She asked before seeing she was in fact doing that. "Right sorry."
"What was it this time?" I asked making her lick her lips trying to think if she wanted to tell me or not.
"....... I came home covered in dirt and Peter was trying to find out what happened."
"Oh Ash...."
"I want to forget. I want to forget what they've gone through but I can't. I want to but I can't." She told making me open my arms for her to rush into them as she began to cry.
"I've got you. I'm not going anywhere." I told as I rubbed her back and just held her close to me while she cried.
I was able to get her into bed and I played with her hair to let her know I wasn't going anywhere. She was able to settle a bit after awhile and she looked up at me.
"Spencey?"
"Yeah?"
"Can you read to me?"
"Of course." I told before grabbing my book and began to read her from where I was up to.
'I wish I could take the pain away.'