[wolvesjr34]

"What are you really afraid of?" queried the Australian.

"Who said I was afraid of anything?" came the reply, before another swig of whiskey was swallowed.

"Would you put that bottle down?"

"Leave it alone!"

Ashley shook her head and in a fit of anger grabbed the bottle of Southern Comfort and threw it across the room where it bounced harmlessly off the wall onto the ground, spewing liquid out all over the place. "You're going to talk to me. Don't shut me out."

Laura removed her gaze from the bottle of whiskey and focused on her friend. "It doesn't matter Ash."

"It matters to me...don't you realise that?" She knelt down in front of the American; "Do you really think that I want to leave?"

"I don't know what you want." She was lying. She knew exactly what Ashley wanted and had wanted for years, however she was too afraid to open up.

“I’m not playing this game again Laura. I’m not going to open myself up again…not after last time.” She found herself in a tough situation, longing for Laura to finally admit her true feelings and yet not knowing if she would be capable of handling it if it happened.

“Let me kiss you.”

Her eyes went wide, “Say what?”

“Remember how I told you we would kiss one day?”

“Yeah.”

“Then let me kiss you.” The intensity burned in her eyes. She wasn’t sure if it was a good idea, however she was passionate about the decision she’d made.

“You don’t know what you’re asking of me.”

Laura slid off the end of the bed onto her knee’s right in front of Ashley. Maybe it was the whiskey that was giving her the courage, she didn’t really know, she just knew that she had to take the chance. She looked into the eyes of the woman she wished was her own. “Tell me not to do this and I won’t.”

“I…” she shuddered as she felt Laura’s hand on her face. Her heart was racing and she knew that she wouldn’t be able to stop at just a kiss. A big part of her urged her to surrender to her desires, to experience what she’d dreamed about for years. Her brain, however, chided her for being so foolish and implored her to pull away. “Laura…”

“Yes?” she looked directly into Ashley’s eyes.

The Australian averted her gaze, she had seen the one thing she had been afraid of seeing all along. Love. She swallowed hard, trying so desperately to fight her natural urges. It was then she felt it, the gentle, tender, probing kiss. She leaned into the kiss and felt her body scream out for more, she felt like she was on fire. Then Laura pulled away, she looked at her expectantly.

“Don’t go.” She watched her friend, waiting to see what she did.

She stood up and backed away towards the door, “I need some air.”

“Ash?” She stood up and advanced towards her friend.

“I can’t…I want to, but I can’t.” She knew she had to leave, she couldn’t handle the intensity of what she was feeling and she believed it could and would only end badly. “I’m sorry.”

“No!” She reached out and grabbed her by the arm. “What do I have to give you? I need you Ashley…I need you.”

“Please don’t.” she begged.

“Don’t what?”

“Don’t say it.”

“But isn’t this what you want?”

“Yes…no…God…” She felt around beside herself for the door handle, desperately trying to escape what she had always wanted.

Laura moved back. “Okay, you go and get your air. You know where I am.” She was of the opinion that she had waited too long to make her move and that Ashley had sufficient feelings for Kasey to ensure whatever they had, remained unexplored.

Ashley found the handle and left the room. Everything that had taken place had overwhelmed her to the point of tears, tears that she didn’t want Laura to see. She found a stairwell and sat down, she had a lot of thinking to do concerning what her next move was going to be. Did she stay and face an immense battle to remain in the country with Laura or did she go back home with Kasey and have everything she ever wanted. Everything that is, except for Laura.

Laura cleaned up the whiskey and turned off her computer, trying to keep herself busy because she didn’t want to think about what had happened. Unfortunately when she turned on the radio it was playing a song that reminded her of the love she had so foolishly thrown away. She flopped down on to her bed as she listened to the song, which Ashley had dedicated to her years before.