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Ashton was covered in sweat as she laid beside Eli in the new house, chuckling when she heard moans coming from up the hall. Eli let out a breathy chuckle, their chests heaving. He placed a kiss to the top of her head before slipping out of bed, moving into the bathroom. She pulled the covers up over her hips, arching her back as a stretched.
Eli wandered into the room once more, a wash cloth on hand. He whipped the covers off her and began to clean her up, placing a kiss on her inner thigh when he was done; earning a soft gasp and light whack to the back of the head. He leant over her, pressing his lips to her own; their naked bodies pressed up lightly against one another. He quickly wiped his member, before tossing the cloth onto the bathroom floor; laying next to her, propped up on his elbow.
'You're a fucking sexy goddess, you know that?' He smiled as he watched her.
She pulled the covers up over her chest, rolling onto her side to peek up at him through her eyelashes.
'It's not nice to lie, Eli,' She teased.
'Fine. You're actually the troll that lives under the bridge,' He sighed dramatically; 'I just didn't know how to tell you.'
She scoffed, swatting him as he laughed; fighting off the grin that threatened to spill across her lips. He leant down and began to place a trail of kisses across her cheek and down her neck, reaching the swell of her breasts before he brought his face up to her own. She pulled her lips together, silently asking for a kiss which he gave her instantly.
'I love you,' She whispered.
'I love you, too,' He replied.
'You wanna make love to me one more time?'
'Duh.'
She squealed as he pushed her back to lie flat on the bed, bringing his body to lay between her legs before he kissed her hard.
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'Drey, man, come on. You gotta tell me,' Ashton leant between the front seats of the van.
'Tell you what?' He looked back at her before glancing at Deran.
'Where we're buying the house,' Deran sighed; 'She wants to be neighbours.'
'Come on. Could you imagine?' She suggested; 'Mad house parties, I could see you whenever I wanted, Drey could take me out to breakfast every morning, Eli and I can fuck every night and you wouldn't hear us. You two could fuck and we wouldn't hear you.'
'We're going to look at another one today,' Adrian smiled.
'Any others nearby?'
'I don't know.'
'Oh, come on. You two suck.'
Deran chuckled, shaking his head as she fell back into her seat; under Eli's arm. Adrian glanced back at them in the rear view mirror, before his jaw dropped slightly at the ring around her neck; the car swerving a little as he looked back at her.
'Jesus, what are you doing?' Deran exclaimed.
'What?' Ashton asked Adrian's shocked look.
'Did you put a ring on it?' He queried.
'What?' Deran spun around, eyes zoning in on the necklace; 'You little shits. When?'
'Before I almost died,' She answered.
'Where?'
'My house. Look, I'll show you video,' Eli leant to the side to pull his phone out.
'I wanna see the ring,' Adrian informed them.
Ashton chuckled, unclasping the necklace from around her neck before holding it up in Adrian's line of sight as he drove.
'Damn,' He whistled.
'Hey, Dez. I think Drey wants this ring when you propose to him,' She smiled cheekily.
He looked at her shock, watching her wink before she leant back and let him watch the video.
'Does Craig know?' He asked as he watched on.
'I doubt it. He's been too caught up with Frankie to know anything these days,' She huffed.
'You're a sob, Eli.'
'Hey, I thought it was fucking adorable.'
'See? She thought it was cute,' Eli smirked.
'She thinks I'm cute,' Deran passed back the phone.
'You are,' Adrian answered.
'Thank you,' She exclaimed; 'You're fucking hot, Dez. So's Drey. And my baby boy definitely is.'
'Alright, stop before his head gets too big,' Deran teased.
She flicked his ear, listening to him whine as she laughed; Adrian reversing into a spot. They piled out of the car, moving to grab their boards out as they sussed the surf. The Wright girl stood beside her brother, screwing up her nose at the small sets rolling in.
'I don't know, man. It's pretty shit,' Deran looked back at Adrian; 'Sure you don't want to just get breakfast before this Realtor thing?'
'I think it looks okay,' Adrian glanced at the water before pulling his shirt off; 'I just like to spend some time in the water before a flight.'
'How long does it take to get down there?'
'To Durban? Um, like a day and a half.'
'I can come with you.'
'To South Africa?'
Deran pulled his board out, 'Yeah. I've always wanted to surf New Pier. Maybe I can wax your board and shit.'
Ashton chuckled, stepping out of her shorts as Eli followed after her brother; both topless in their board shorts as Adrian wandered down to just before the sand.
'Is that a euphemism?' Adrian glanced back at his boyfriend; 'Sure, man. That'd be great.'
Deran sat down and ran wax over his board, 'When's the flight?'
'Uh, it's tomorrow night. Red-eye to Doha, connect to Durban.'
'You know, I don't actually have to go. I... Just thought it could be fun.'
'No, it's It's a long haul. Those coach seats are a bitch.'
'Oh, I wouldn't be sitting coach. I'd be up in first class, gettin' my feet rubbed, drinking a mai tai and shit.'
Adrian chuckled, running his hand over his board; 'You guys coming?'
'To South Africa?' Ashton queried.
'Yeh.'
'I don't see why not. We were planning on heading out again once the house settled anyway. We'll just have to come back.'
'I'm cool with it,' Eli shrugged.
Deran stood and looked out at the water as Adrian started toward it, 'Man, I haven't surfed anything this weak since Juniors.'
'Yeah. Work on your Gorkin Flip... Maybe some day you'll actually land one,' Adrian called back.
She let out a loud bought of laughter, walking back her brother as she went. She began to jog down toward the water, letting the coolness splash up her legs.
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The TV played lowly in the background as Ashton woke from her spot on Eli's chest, prying her eyes open to find Andy sitting in the arm chair.
'How the fuck did you find us?' She croaked.
'Not hard, cutie,' He grinned; 'Just has to following the trail of clothing up the road.'
'Fuck you. Can you get me a shirt, please?'
'But you just said...'
'Andy.'
He chuckled as he stood, messing up her hair as he passed by her. She laid her head back on Eli's chest, flinching when something was dropped over her head. She reached up to pull Andy's shirt from her head, squinting as she looked toward him. She rubbed her eyes as she pushed herself up to stand, the cool air brushing over her skin; her black lacy underwear set covering her. She slipped the shirt on, letting it fall to just below her bum.
'So, how'd you really find us?' Ashton asked as she pulled her hair up into a pony tail.
'Eli told me,' Andy replied easily.
'Huh.'
'What?'
'Nothing. But, what's the date?'
'Why?'
'I think I'm late.'
'Shit.'
She looked to him calmly, her hand falling to her stomach.
'Do you want to go get a test?' He asked as he stood.
'Yeh,' She sighed; 'Maybe I should just go see your Mum.'
'I'll come with you.'
'What about Eli?'
'He won't be up before midday. Come on.'
She followed the man who was like her brother, placing her heart in his hand. She grabbed a pair of sweat pants as she went out the door, hopping down the driveway as she pulled them on. Andy slid into the driver's seat, silently turning on the car and pulling out onto the street; glancing at her as he went. Ashton get her gaze out the window, letting the man drive them to the hospital.
Once they arrived, they pulled into a spot and started for the entrance, heading straight past the admin and to the doctors station. They put in a pager for Michelle, before taking a seat along the wall; watching the never ending cycle of people move past them. It only took a minute before Michelle was striding toward them in her white doctor's coat, a look of concern etched on her face.
'What's going on?' She asked quickly as she glanced between them.
'I'm late for my period, Shell,' The Wright girl answered; 'And I don't think it's because I'm pregnant.'
'Ok. Let's go get an ultrasound. When was the last time you and Eli had sex?'
'An hour ago,' Andy coughed into his hand.
'Yeh, then,' She nodded her head toward the man.
'And last time you had your period?'
'I don't know, actually.'
'Ok. Let's go talk to one of the nurses and get you set up in an ultrasound room, I'll get put this down as a family emergency and take the next hour off.'
'Thanks, Shell.'
The woman kissed her cheek before rushing back up the hall, leaving the pair standing there.
'Call Eli, now,' Ashton demanded.
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Ashton stared up at the black ceiling of the ultrasound room, her shirt pulled up to under her boobs and her sweats low on her hips. Michelle sat beside her, the boys outside waiting with one another so the other didn't feel left out. She winced slightly at the sudden warmth of the gel on her skin, missing the way the woman's eyes raked over her healing wound that sat low on her abdomen.
'Alright, let's take a look,' She stated before pressing the head of the machine against her skin.
The Wright girl couldn't bare to look at the screen, her hands bound tight into fists by her sides. She had a feeling she wasn't pregnant, seven times out of ten she and Eli used a condom; those the other three times were full of glorious, multiple rounds. Her eyes snapped over to Michelle when she moved the head of the machine away from her skin, holding it in her hand for a second as she blinked continuously.
'You're not pregnant,' Michelle gushed.
'Then what's that look?' She pressed.
'When you were shot, it seems the bullet passed through your right ovary. Seemingly destroying it... And you know that since you were a young teen that your left ovary is defective. It will still cause your period, but your fertility rate from that ovary is extremely low... But, right now you need to focus on prepping for surgery.'
'What? Michelle, what does this mean?'
'In six hours, you'll be going into surgery so I can stitch you up internally. I'm surprised you're not in more pain-'
'No. I mean about my ovaries... Can I not have kids?'
The woman paused for a second, staring down at the girl as she blinked back her tears.
'It will be very unlikely for you to fall pregnant, baby,' Michelle whispered; 'But you always knew that.'
'I always had a shot.'
'Not anymore.'
Her heart sunk into her stomach, the blood ran from her face as tears instantly began to fall down her face.
'I'm so sorry, Fish,' Michelle cupped her face in her hands; 'I'm so, so sorry.'
A kiss was placed to her head before Michelle stood, running a thumb under her eye.
'I need to go schedule this surgery, I'll perform it. I'll be back in a second,' She whispered before heading toward the door.
'Shell,' Ashton croaked.
'Yeh?'
'Don't let Eli in.'
The woman nodded, a solemn look on her face before she opened the door. Eli and Andy's voices could be heard for a second, before the door clicked shut; leaving her in silence once more. Ashton didn't know what to think, all the medical terms and appointments she'd had when she'd started her period coming to the front of her mind. The long nights, the sickness, the hot flushes, the struggle to focus on anything but the jobs Smurf gave them. The only thing her mother had given her, premature ovarian failure.
A choked sob left her mouth, her hand laying on her stomach. All she had wanted was a child, someone to raised up better then she had been raised. Someone to give the world she never had. She slowly curled up into a ball, her sobs slowly growing louder. She covered her mouth with her hand, squeezing her eyes shut as the door opened; Eli's voice sounding once more before it was shut out. Michelle rushed over and sat beside her, running her hand over her hair; shushing her quietly as her own tears welled in her eyes.
The door was pushed open, 'Mum, what's going on? I can't-'
His face fell when he saw the girl, his heart catching in this throat. He crossed the room quickly, his mother moving from her side to let him hold her. He sat beside, talking to her softly as he cupped the side of her face. She cried harder at the sight of him, shaking her head.
'Talk to me, Ash,' He spoke softly, Andy coming to stand in the doorway.
'Eli,' Michelle sighed; 'Let's go outside to talk.'
'No.'
'She is in no state to tell you and she doesn't need to hear it again.'
He stared at his mother for a second before he stood and followed her out of the room, slipping past Andy who shut the door behind them. It was not even two minutes before Eli was back in the room, tears in his eyes as he lifted her up to sit behind her; wrapping his arms tight around her.
'I'm so sorry, baby doll,' He whispered; 'I'm so, so sorry.'
Her sobs wracked her body, her hands squeezing his arms as they held her to him. His trembling lips placed a kiss to the top of her head as his eyes fell shut, tears dripping from them; rolling down his cheeks.
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Ashton sat on a stool at the bar, a beer in hand that Kai had given her. She was waiting for Deran, unable to get a hold of Craig to get him down there as well; the same went for J and Pope. She'd snuck out of the hospital with Eli and Andy's help, willing to face Michelle's wrath later just so she could see her brother. She took another sip of her drink as the door opened, her eyes set ahead as her brother strode toward her. She blinked back her tears as he placed a kiss to the top of her head, lowering her chin to hide them.
'Hey, you ok?' He asked.
'No,' She croaked.
'What's going on? Talk to me.'
She shook her head and took his hand, leading him to the office where she stood with her back to him; struggling to hold it together.
'What's going on?' He asked.
'I can never have kids,' She stayed thickly.
'What?'
'That bullet that went through my torso... It ruptured my good ovary,' She turned to face him, eyes red from holding back her tears; 'I can't have kids, Deran... And- And maybe that's a good thing because I would've never been a good mother. I mean look at mine, one's dead and other is trying to kill me. I never stood a chance... I would've ruined that kids life.'
'Ash.'
Tears began to roll down her cheeks as she became hysterical, all the pent up emotion pouring out.
'Eli's never gonna be able to pass on his good genes, I don't deserve him. I should call off the engagement,' She cried.
'Ash, no,' Deran strode forward.
'I'm only eighteen! I'm eighteen and I've lost everything! I've had everything taken from me! And Smurf got what she wanted. She ruined my life. Instead of ending up dead, she's given me something worse. She took away the one thing I've always wanted. She wins, Deran! She won!'
He pulled her into his chest, shushing her quietly as he held the back of her head. She sobbed freely into his shirt, gripping the back of it in her hands as she collapsed into him. He kissed the top of her head, letting his lips rest there for a second as her body shook against his. His sister was broken, and this time, he wasn't sure how to fix it.