Game Over (Harry Lewis/Sidemen fan fic)

Going Home

Ash's POV.

I slept staring at the ceiling that night, never fully allowing darkness to envelope me, only briefly resting my eyes to save myself from shutting down completely. Every Half hour I would get up to reread the crumpled letter, analyzing every word to see if it was some sick joke, every time coming up empty. The letter was't a joke and the information in it was as real as I was.

Sometime after my fifteenth time arising, I decided to book a flight back to America. The flight left later today and went straight to the San Diego Airport form London. I printed out everything I needed for confirmation and dragged a suitcase down from the deep dark corner at the top of my closet. Knowing that I would be returning to my home in less than twenty-four hours and that the sun hadn't yet risen, I laid back down and finally accepted exhaustion.

When I awoke it was just before noon. I had ten hours before my flight and I hadn't packed or told Lea anything yet. When I exited my room she stood in the kitchen on the phone with a spatula in her hand and the smell of pancakes mixing with the sounds of her yelling at Greg over the phone. Greg was a complete fuck up, and his brother Spencer was our Game Supplier, but Spencer never responded to any of our messages and somehow always managed to get lost and never deliver the games. Needless to say they were both an interesting lot, but we definitely loved Spencer more than Greg. Lea hung up the phone, slamming it down onto the counter aggressively. She huffed as she flipped a pancake in a frustrated manner.

"Guess we're both having one of those mornings." I offered a weak smile.

Lea snapped her attention to me, "Don't even get me started!! We are so low on Play Station four and Xbox one games, like Spencer this is my freaking job you can't even call me back for that?? And then Greg is a complete idiot, he literally put a hole in the wall this morning when I was leaving so I had to book a repair man and that comes out of my paycheck because I was still on duty - or technically you were on duty so you'll actually be paying for it - but now management is mad at me because it all looks like my fault... hmph... any way, what's ruined your morning."

I kicked the door frame a little with my to a, try not to make eye contact with Lea, "The woman who took me in after my dad died... she passed away yesterday morning, the funeral is in two days so I've booked a flight for tonight."

There was a long pause, nothing but our realization that this could be the beginning of a very long goodbye.

"Shit..." Lea set down the spatula, "Well, I'm not letting you go alone.

"What-"

"I mean I've always wanted to visit California, and it's not healthy to be alone when you're emotionally unstable."

"No-"

"Maybe Harry and Simon could come too, they are making bank form youtube, they can help pay for cost, plus it would be fun."

"It's a funeral-"

"I mean someone has to put the fun in funeral."

"You are crazy-"

"Give me two hours to call the boys, book a flight and pack." She game me a toothy grin than make me want to back hand her into the grave with Mimi.

"Do you even know what flight or at what time or where to land even?" I crossed my arms and stared at Lea.

She shook her head, "No, but you're going to tell me. And if you don't I know how to reprint things that have already been printed without even needing your computer."

"Oi, fuck off." I dropped my hand, ready to argue, "Just because you're the freaky computer genius doesn't mean you can invade my privacy."

"And just because you're the touchy fighter doesn't mean you can stop me."