Betrayal

Chapter 5: Are you ready Ashley?

The next week went excruciatingly slowly for Ashley. Although she had started constantly texting back and forth with Jessica, she ignored the feelings and continued to recite the plan in her head.
"In the house, um, 4 Doncaster road, yep, that's it. She leaves a key under the tree in her front yard. It'll be around 1:30pm so she'll be eating lunch. Her boyfriend goes to work at 11am and comes back at 9pm on Saturdays. So that means I should be in the clear to sneak up behind her." Ashley reminded herself quietly, as she laid back on her bed. "Tomorrow's the day."
She got up and went to her dresser, grabbing out what she needed and packing it in a bag. A balaclava, she didn't want Jessica to recognise her; a rope and a burlap bag, she had to keep her restrained; and a gun and a knife with a strap that she could put around her leg for easy access, just in case someone puts up a fight. She stuffed it all in the bottom drawer of her nightstand, that was never used unless to gather things for missions. Ashley sighed and sat on her bed.
"Tomorrow's the day."
"Tomorrow is what? You look worried." Aubrey turned up at her bedroom door.
"The day my friends and I are meeting up again after their trip." the brunette quickly thought up a lie. "I heard there was hella lot of drama."

"I'm sure it'll be okay." the older woman hugged her.
"Hopefully." Ashley looked around. She felt incredibly guilty putting the blonde in so much danger and not being able to tell her about it. They pulled apart and moved their separate ways. The brunette grabbed her bag and made her way to the door, grabbing her work lunch that she'd prepared the night before.

Hopping in her car, she started driving to the hospital she worked at, taking a detour down Doncaster Road to familiarise herself with the area.
"10, 8, 6, 4 there." Ashley quickly scanned the house as she drove by. "Doesn't look too bad."

The brunette parked up at the hospital and got out, sighing softly. She walked inside and took a sip of her water.
"Hey Ashley!" Ellie smiled as the tired woman walked in.
"Hey Ellie." Ashley nodded quickly in her direction before going over to the desk and checking her timetable.
"We have the same timetable as always Ash." Ellie laughed slightly. "We're on desk until lunch and then doing check ups in the afternoon. You've seemed a little distracted lately. What's up?"
"I just feel like I'm missing something in my life really." the brunette suddenly felt an inner pride for coming up with a lie so quickly. "Like nearly all my friends have significant others and have kids and live in a house and I'm single, and stuck with the former leader of my college a cappella group."
"I'm sure you'll find someone." Ellie smiled softly. "I'm pretty sure this morning will be quite laid back so we can relax and chat for most of it."

Ashley nodded and sat back in the desk chair.
True to Ellie's words, the morning was very quiet, with only a few people coming in for check ups and even lesser people in labor.
"Lunch time." Ashley sighed. "Finally."
"Tired?" Ellie asked, walking the brunette to the staff room. "Almost done for the week."
"Yep." the brunette grabbed her lunch out her bag and sat down at a table. "Finally. And then I have to go deal with my mental friends all day tomorrow."
"Ah damn that sucks." the blue eyed woman nodded, taking a bite of her pasta. "Can't you skip? I mean, you see them almost every day."
"No," Ashley shook her head. "Not at all. It's like a routine and Aubrey would kill me if I didn't stick by my plans."
"You should be allowed to change your plans." Ellie shifted her glasses on her nose and frowned. "You're clearly mentally drained."
"Yeah well, it's been like that forever." the brunette shrugged. "I'm so used to it, going against it would just seem wrong."
The two continued to chat for a while and Ellie went to use the restroom.

Ashley got her phone out her pocket and opened her chat with Jessica, debating whether to warn her about the plan or not. If she told her, she would be kicked out of the gang, probably given into the police, but if she didn't tell her, she would lose the trust of the person she valued most in this world.
"Fuck everything." Ashley returned her phone to her pocket and put her head in her hands, discarding her lunch. She got up and went to her assigned room to do check ups, sighing as she realised it would be less than a day before she had to betray her ex best friend, ex crush, the person she loved and appreciated more than anything in the world.

The afternoon passed by slowly and the brunette drove home to see Aubrey sitting on the kitchen counter, heavily making out with some brunette girl. Ashley couldn't see her face but she guessed it was Stacie, based on the height and figure. Well almost.

"Hey." Ashley spoke up, causing the two to jump apart and revealing that it was in fact Stacie, and also revealing something else. "Stace? You're pregnant? Since when?"
"Since about 8 months ago." the taller brunette shrugged.
"I don't remember ever seeing your name on the list for check ups anywhere at the hospital." the midwife racked her brain.
"Check under Anastacia Merizalde Conrad." Stacie winked, helping Aubrey off the counter. "Stacie is a nickname, you know that."
"Makes sense." Ashley nodded, putting her bag down and stretching.
"Shoot. Dinner." Aubrey suddenly shot up and started rummaging through the kitchen cabinets.
"Bree, how 'bout we just order pizza." the shorter brunette suggested. "I think it's been a long week for everyone and we just need to relax."
"Yeah she's right."
"Fine." the blonde grabbed her phone.

Stacie dragged Ashley into her room and looked at her seriously.
"Have you told Bree yet?" the younger Bella asked, a formidable frown crossing her face when Ashley shook her head.
"Are you mad? She calls us monsters all the time." the green eyed girl whispered frantically. "And after one of us was taken by police last week, I'm not risking it."
"Yet you're risking your one chance with Jessica?"
"It's either that or a hella long time in prison."
"Seriously?"
"I can get over Jess, I can't get back years on end in prison Stace."
"You could have not volunteered yourself to lead it, you know that right?"
"I need to prove myself to Sheridan. By the way, of course I already knew about this." Ashley pointed to Stacie's stomach. "I have seen you on the records and of course at meetings. I need to fool her. She thinks we're bloody creatures from Greek Mythology or whatnot!"
"Okay, okay." Stacie sighed. "Are you at least prepared for tomorrow?"
"As prepared as I'll ever be." the older woman nodded.