Retreat (A.I.)

60. Running

---Kelly---

I'm running. I know I have approximately two minutes before they leave the stage, which is plenty of time. I run as fast as I can and right as I get to the door to the stage, they come out. I wrap my arms around Ashton's neck, pulling him towards me and crash my lips onto his. Right away, he wraps his arms around my waist, closing the gap between us. Fireworks are exploding inside and I can't get enough of this feeling. Two months is too long. Let your heart guide you that lady told me. And that's exactly what I'm doing. When I finally pull away, he rests his forehead on mine.

"I love you Ashton, and I forgive you!" I can see the tears welling up in his eyes.

"I love you too Kelly. Thank you." I drop my arms to his chest and wrap them around him as tight as I can. He moves his up to my shoulders and hugs me tight. I could stay like this for hours except for one thing.

"You stink! Go shower!" He laughs and takes my hand, lacing our fingers together, as we walk to the dressing room.

"One sec," he says when we reach the door. He peeks his head inside then opens the door. "Since you left, they've kinda gotten into the habit of prancing around naked. I wanted to make sure they were clothed." I just shake my head and laugh. Only my four idiots! Wait, four? I only see three.

"Um..where's Mikey?" I ask.

"The shower. Oh shit!" Ashton lets go of my hand and runs back to the shower. "Kelly's in the main room Mike! Do NOT come out naked!"

"Then get me some clothes or she be seeing the cliffoconda!" I am cracking up laughing now. Did he seriously name his junk The Cliffoconda? Lord help me, it's going to be an interesting week!

I sit down on the couch and watch Calum kick Luke's ass in FIFA until Ashton takes his turn in the shower. Michael takes his spot and sits down next to me and I lean my head onto his shoulder.

"So everything's back to normal with you and Ash now?" he asks.

"No, Mikey, it's not. I can't just pick up where we left off. But I still love him, and I needed to let him know that." Calum looks back at me and winks then goes back to his game. "It's still hard. I still hurt, ya know? But I am 100% going to give him a chance to help me heal. Tonight was a great start. But I need things to be different this time too. I can't let him try to monopolize my time. I need to still spend equal time with you. You've been there for me through thick and thin and I love you, you're my brother. I'm not going to kick you to the curb, okay?" He gets a huge smile on his face at that.

"Does that mean I can sleep with you again, tonight?!" Both Calum and Luke whip their head around to look at me.

"Oh my God, you're all perverts! I hate you all! Literal sleep, in the same bed, fully clothed you dumbasses! Mikey, you're a dick!"

"But I'm your dick, right?"

"Yeah, my dick brother!"

"Your dick brother that gets to sleep in the same bed as you again tonight?!"

"Yes Mikey. Just wipe that cheesy grin off your face!"

Ashton comes out of the shower with sweatpants hanging quite low off his hips. Is he doing this on purpose? Fuck. Mikey knows the look on my face, his smirk shows it. "I'm heading to the bus to shower and get some sleep. Goodnight guys!" I quickly turn and head out to the bus.

---Ashton---

"Um, what just happened? Did I miss something? Did I do something wrong?" I ask.

"By the look on her face Ash, you got her all hot and bothered!" Michael laughs.

"Oh." That's a good thing, I think.