Trusting Fate

The Little Fam

Ember's POV

"Hey Emmie?" Ashton's voice is soft as he speaks up, reaching over to take my hand in his as we drive back into LA.

"What's up, Ash?" I glance at him quickly, seeing a smile on his face as he looks at me.

"Did I ever tell you about the moment I realized I was in love with you?"

"No you haven't." I can't help but smile.

"It was that week after you got home from visiting Utah, at the beginning of April. You had a basketball tournament, and Pai and I came to one of your games."

"Ya. I remember that night. That was a lot of fun." I nod.

"You were sitting over with the team, and Pai and I were watching you coach. Something happened that made you mad, and you stood up, yelling at your girls to pick it up and to play like you knew they could. Pai stood up beside me on the bleachers and started imitating you and then fell into my arms giggling. When I looked back up to you, you were grinning and cheering because one of your girls scored. And watching you be so passionate and happy, it just hit me that I was completely in love with you. Michael had asked me that morning at a writing session if I was and I couldn't answer him for sure. But once I saw you that night, I just knew." He smiles, kissing the back of my hand.

"Thank you for telling me that, Ash. It's a sweet story." I grin.

"Really I started falling the moment I looked into your big green eyes on Valentines Day, but that was the moment I was so sure I couldn't deny it anymore." He grins, kissing my hand again.

"Do you want to know when I was sure I loved you?"

"If you know and want to share."

"It was the weekend of my birthday. The Sunday after to be specific. You'd flown Haylee out to cheer me up after getting the court notice, you took me on an amazing date, gave me this beautiful Opal necklace, and then the birthday party with our friends on Saturday. You made the whole weekend absolutely amazing for me. And Sunday night, we cuddled up on my couch after Haylee was gone, and everything was done. We turned on a movie, and you were focused on the movie but I just laid in your arms watching you. At first I was just thinking about how grateful I was to have someone as aware and sweet as you. But then you absentmindedly started running your fingers through my hair, and you laughed at something, your curls bouncing slightly. And as I looked at your calm happy face above me I just knew I was in love with you, and with everything you are as a person. I'd found someone who could handle all my problems and messes and who wanted to be with me, no matter what shit came our way."

"I do want to be with you no matter what. Nothing is going to change that."

"I mean, Justin has caused enough problems to convince me of that. I don't think many people would have made it though what you have with me over the last few months."

"And I'll be by your side for the next few weeks while we finish him off and send him permanently into the past." He smiles softly.

"I have no doubt you will. I just hope we can get what we want and end things with him for good."

"I'm confident we will. We have prepared our asses off for this. No one is taking my baby girl from me, Emmie, I won't allow it."

"I think we have a solid case, but I can't help it. I'm so worried about losing her."

"I know. That's why I'm here to remind you we will win this one."

"I love you, Ash. You are exactly what I need in my life, to keep me all held together."