Beside You~a.i.

Ch. 12: Late Night Talks

~Bailey's POV~:
It was about two hours after I said I was going to go to bed when I heard a faint knock on my hotel room door. Ava has been asleep for a while now, lucky.

I got up and rubbed my eyes before dragging myself to get out of bed and answer whoever was knocking. I opened the door and squinted as the bright light from the halls nearly blinded me. "Ow..." I muttered as I shielded my eyes with the back of my hand.

I looked back out again to see who was standing there and it was Ashton. "Hey Ash what's up?" I asked still sounding tired.

"Um...Calum left to go have...well you know...with some girl a while ago and I can't sleep. I just want to talk to someone for a while to maybe help me sleep...would you mind? I'm sorry this is a weird thing to ask..." He scratched the back of his neck and looked at the floor while biting his lip. He does that a lot I've noticed.

I smiled weakly due to being so tired and nodded; "Sure Ashton. I can't sleep either..." I grabbed my room key and phone for later when I needed to come back, and just because I can't live without my phone at my side, then followed Ashton to his hotel room.

He sat down on what I assumed was his bed so I sat down on Calum's. Well actually he's sharing a bed with some girl somewhere else in the hotel so this really isn't his bed now is it? I sat criss-cross-applesauce like and Ashton did the same.

"So what do you want to talk about?" I asked after a long silence had filled the space between us.

Ashton shifted around uncomfortably. "I want to know more about you...like what's your family like?"

I smiled at him. He's so cute, in as friendly of a way as possible. "Well I have a sister named Maddie who's 14. She's energetic and very social. She's in love with you guys and freaked out when I told her I was going on tour with you guys for a few weeks." Ashton smiled at my words which made me smile. "My dad's name is Steve and my mom's is Andrea. They are really calm and sweet. They really care for and about me and don't get to mad at me most of the time...the only thing I don't get is why my entire family has blonde hair and I have light brown. My mom said it's probably some weird gene from one of our ancestors but I don't really believe it..."

"Why not?" Ashton asked curiously. He had an eyebrow raised and his head was tilted to the side slightly, showing his interest in our conversation.

"Uh well...I just feel so separated from them like I'm not actually part of their family even though they make it seem that way. I feel like they aren't my real family sometimes but I love them like they are my real family. It's confusing I don't know..." I looked down at my lap. I heard Ashton shuffling around and I felt the bed sink a little. Soon his arm was on my shoulder and he was comforting me.

"Hey it's okay. I get what you're trying to say. It's like you're a part of something that you're not supposed to be a part of...a puzzle piece trying to find it's place in the wrong puzzle...but you do belong there. They love you and you love them so you fit. You're actually a piece of that puzzle after all." I looked at him with a small smile and he smiled back at me. He moved his arm but sill remained sitting where he was.

"And what about you Ashton? Your family?" He froze at my question and looked down at his lap like I had.

"Um I have a mom named Anne-Marie, a sister named Lauren, and a brother named Harry. They are all really nice and I love them more then I love most people. They mean the absolute world to me. I also have a dog named Indie who is just the sweetest dog on the planet." He said quietly. I noticed he didn't mention a father. That might be the reason he's so uncomfortable right now.

Now it's my turn to comfort him. I hugged him lightly, "Hey Ashton it sounds like you have a wonderful family just the way it is." He hugged me back lightly and I felt one tear hit my shoulder. He was crying, I feel bad for him. Whatever it is about his dad must be pretty bad because he's obviously hurt by it. "Hey Ash...it's okay. I'm here. It's okay..." Now his entire face was buried in my shoulder and I was rubbing his back in an attempt to continue comforting him. He silently cried for a little while before he laid down on the bed we had both been sitting on.

"Bailey would you mind...um...sleeping here tonight...as a friend you know?" He was still trying not to cry and his words came out with a few croaks. I nodded and got under the covers as he did. I tried not to get to close to him to avoid anything awkward but he was the one who grabbed my arm in both of his and moved closer to me slightly.

"I'm sorry I just want to cuddle...in the friendliest way possible..." He whispered. I didn't say anything and just went along with it. My heart was racing and I swear that he could probably hear my heart pounding in my chest. I awkwardly laid there until his breathing calmed and he started snoring softly. He is known for snoring a lot according to the other boys. I turned towards him without disrupting his grasp on my arm and moved my fingers through his curly hair with my free hand until my eyelids grew heavy and I had drifted off to sleep.
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~Ashton's POV~:
I woke up the next morning extremely tired. I thought about last night and my conversation with Bailey. I then realized that I was holding her in both arms with her body pressed against mine. Fuck. I quickly untangled my arms from hers and got out of bed. She didn't even move.

I looked at her, taking in how peaceful she looked while she slept. Her hair was an absolute mess though but so is everyone's after they sleep. I couldn't stop myself from kissing her forehead before I grabbed some clean clothes and changed in the bathroom.

I came back out and she was sitting up in the bed, finally awake. She smiled when she saw me. "Good morning Ash. How are you?" She asked starting happily but then ending with a worried tone in her voice.

"I'm good. How bout you?" I asked, avoiding the topic of my family for obvious reasons.

"Tired...what time is it anyway?" She looked back at me with a puzzled stare before reaching for her phone. "It's 12:34. Wow we slept in late..."

"Yeah we did..." I sat back down on the bed and hugged her once again, "Thanks for last night. What you said really made me feel better. I just really appreciated what you did..." I released from our embrace and got up again.

"No thank you. What you said really made me realize how I fit in with my family...thank you. Really." She smiled lightly and I did the same. She got up and stretched. "Well I better head back to my room and get ready for the day..." She mumbled.

"Okay. Bye Bailey...thanks again. I'll see you later." She nodded in response before grabbing her phone and room key and leaving for her room down the hall.

I sighed and laid down where she had been only a minute earlier. I'm really starting to like Bailey...I know I shouldn't but I can't help myself. She's really nice and she makes me happy, something only a handful of people can do. And we've grown so close in such little time. I can't tell her that I may or may not like her because of the whole tour thing and being away for so long but I won't forget her. Ever. She's someone who I want in my life as either a friend, or more, forever. And I hope she feels the same way.
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A/N: So hey guys I hope you liked the chapter! I'm nearly at 200 reads which is really exciting!!! Thank you :)

This chapter is dedicated to someone who really made my day today...she is one of my best friends and honestly she is so amazing. Some days I don't know where I'd be without her because she is seriously such an awesome friend. So Greensky11 this is for you. Thank you for everything and for always putting a smile on my face. I know sometimes we argue and such but hey that's what friends do. Thank you for being such an amazing friend.

And you all reading this should go read her amazing fanfic called 'Books' because it is perfection and it involves the kitten, Michael Clifford (the other boys too). But honestly it is perfection guys and you will love it! I swear!!! Go read it!!!

Okay I love you all!!! Thanks for reading and remember to thank all that bring joy to your life.

Once again I love you

~Anna <3