Always - Sequel to Stay Together For The Kids

News.

Luke places the cup of coffee in front of me.

I place my hands around it, with a murmur of thanks. I feel him lightly squeeze my shoulder.

Luke sits down next to me, and across from Ashton. Ash had managed to get Ruby to sleep, so her baby monitor sits in the middle of the table.

"What now?" I say to them, staring at the baby monitor.

"What can we do now?" Luke says, pushing himself away from the table, running his hands through his hair.

"I can't believe they're saying we killed him." I breathe.

Ashton clears his throat. "I'm going to say something and I need you guys to be open minded about it."

Luke and I both frown at him.

"The police will look at motive for killing Michael." Ashton starts, his voice shaky. "So we need to ask ourselves, who got the most out of his death?"

"Well, Karen, Ruby and I got all of his possessions." I say, frowning. "Karen wouldn't know a crack pipe from a juice box and I know Ruby can act like the devil sometimes but I'm pretty sure she didn't kill him."

Ashton shakes his head. "You weren't the only ones who benefitted financially." He says lowly.

I honestly have no idea what he's talking about. Luke however, looks livid.

"If you're talking about Calum-" Luke starts.

"Of course I'm talking about Calum." Ashton says.

"Wait, Calum?" I splutter.

"Who was the one giving Michael his drugs?" Ashton says. "Who got a house out of his death?"

"You're saying he killed his best mate over a house?" Luke spits incredulously.

"I don't know, I'm just saying it looks suspicious." Ashton tries to say.

"You said we all need to stay together, to fight against Chantelle." Luke says loudly.

"We don't know what side Calum's on yet." Ashton tries to say, but Luke is far too loud.

"Calum is our family. You don't turn your back on family." Luke's voice has raised yelling level and I sink lower into my chair.

"Even when they've turned their back on you?" Ashton asks.

"If we all thought like that you wouldn't of being welcomed back with open arms." Luke scowls.

Ashton looks surprised. "That's unfair."

"No, what's unfair is you accusing someone who can't fight for themselves right now." Luke fires back.

"I'm just saying, we need to look at all our options." Ashton tries to keep his voice calm but I can tell he is on breaking point.

Luke scoffs. "You were with Chantelle for far too long." He says, shaking his head in disgust.

That would do it.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ashton seems to get larger as he gets angrier, his jaw clenching and looking furious.

Luke just shakes his head, his voice calmer now. "It means you've forgotten that family is always there for each other. A family trusts each other. We're a family, and it's time we start acting like it." He spits.

"Why don't we start by not yelling?" I say from my seat. "I feel like that might be a good start."

Ashton looks away from us both and Luke looks ashamedly down at the floor.

"I'm sorry." Ash says to Luke.

Luke shakes his head. "I'm sorry, man. All this has come as a bit of a shock."

"You're not alone." Ashton raises his eyebrows.

Ash walks around the table and gives Luke a quick hug.

Luke hugs him, and gives him a 'bro tap' on the back.

Ash walks back over to his seat, and sit down, as does Luke.

"You girls finished?" I ask, raising my eyebrows to them both.

There's a small uncomfortable silence.

"So who did kill Michael then?" Luke asks.

"I don't know." Ashton says quietly.

"Do you think we ever will?" I ask them both.

Their silence is the answer I need. I smile sadly and look down at my hands.

"Maybe becoming detectives isn't the answer." I tell them both. "Maybe moving on means knowing we will never know and that being ok."

Luke smiles slightly at me. "I like the sound of that."

Luke and I both look to Ashton.

"I just wanted some closure." Ash says quietly. "I never meant to blame Calum."

"I know." I say, reaching over and squeezing his hand. He intertwines his fingers in mine, and gives me a grateful smile.

Ashton and I look back to Luke, who is watching us in a little state of shock.

"Sorry." I say, pulling my hand away from Ashton. "It's probably weird."

"I'm just, uh, surprised." Luke says brazenly.

"You're not the only one." I say lightly.

"I hope you guys know what you're doing." Luke says softly, looking at us with concern.

"Well, I can't promise that." I say, honestly.

"So do you approve?" Ashton asks Luke.

Luke looks from Ash to me, before leaning back in his chair, crossing his arms.

"Of course I do." He smiles. "You're my best friends and honestly, I think you're great friends. I just don't want to see anyone hurt."

"I'm not going to hurt anyone." Ashton smiles.

"I'm not worried about you." Luke laughs, but there's something in his tone that makes me know he isn't joking.

"I should be going, anyway." Luke says, looking at his watch. "I'll call one of you later." He promises, standing up and giving us both a fleeting hug.

Ashton and I watch Luke leave from our seats. As soon as he's gone, however, Ash turns to me.

"I can't give up on this, Lil." He says softly.

"Last night, you wanted to know whether I was just filling you in for missing Michael." I say. "Last night I told you I was trying to move on."

I turn to Ashton, and feel angry at him. Why was he making this so hard? So difficult? Why couldn't he just leave it?

"Maybe it's you, Ashton." I glare. "Maybe it's you that needs to move on from Michael."