"Come here Ashley…"

Ashley was watching Gaby and Spencer sleep. The sun was gone by the time she found some clothes for them to wear. She was reduced to going to the maids corridors. She found jeans and t-shirts. For herself, a leather vest given to her by her dear old dad when she was just a little baby. She never could wear it when she was a blob, but now it was almost big on her. Ashley stood up against the door of her room and made sure the girls would sleep. Shadow wanted her to lay down with them, but that wasn’t going to happen. But, it did. Ashley, in all of her exhaustion, fell asleep leaning against the door. And in her sleep, she heard a familiar voice.

???: "Don’t climb the ladder Ashley…..it only brings trouble…don’t climb the ladder Ashley…"

Ashley: "Why? I have to..my family..they need me.."

???: "She’ll kill you before you een have a chance to scream for mercy..just like your pathetic old Grandfather Blaze-"

Ashley: "No! no he was in an accident…"

???: "He killed himself when he saw what layed at the top..and you will too…"

Ashley jerked out of her sleep. A cackling laugh rang in her ears. She looked over at t bed, the two girls were still asleep.

Ashley: "I just need something to eat…"

She opened her door and went downstairs to the kitchen. Shadow followed her. As the vampire searched through the cupboards, she found a very old box of pop-tarts. Shadow jumpedd up on a kitchen stool and started a conversation.

Shadow: "You know, I think maybe she likes you."

Ashley: "Who?"

Shadow: "Spencer. She-"

Ashley: "What do I care?"

Shadow: "Come on now Ashley, she’s been real nice to you and your people."

Ashley: "She led Buffy here."

Shadow: "If Buffy found you first then I doubt that you would even be standing here if it wasn’t for her friends."

Ashley: "…I killed off two of my own protecting the slayer and…her."

Shadow: "They didn’t stand a chance ashley, it isn’t your fault."

Ashley: "All children have a chance when it comes to life."

Shadow: "Your right, but what could you do?"

Ashley: "Do you think I should…say sorry?"

Shadow: "If ye want her to like ya again I-"

Ashley: "Whoa, I don’t want her to like me. I could care less if she liked me. As a matter of fact, if she were to die right now I really would not care."

Shadow: "What did your mother tell you about telling lies?"

Ashley: "Awww, go away you old dog!"

Shadow: "Uff! Fine! But if she takes a liking to ye don’t be suprised at all."

Shadow jumped off the stool and took off. Ashley looked at the box of pop-tarts and opened them. The smell was awful. But hey, she has stomached worse things before.

 "This is a weird dream… this ladder reaches prettty far up. I’m not really concerned about that though. I’m looking at what’s surrounding it. This wall is amazing! The pictures are all similar faces. It must be a family tree. Wow…she’s so beautiful. All of them are. Why didn’t she tell me she has such an amazing family history. Look over here, wolf herders, swordsmen, ninjas? Cool…that’s interesting..I wonder where she falls into all of this..oh! Here she is. Wow, she looks a little chubby back then..but look at what she used to do..football, painting, scholary, nurturing. I would have never thought. Maybe tha’s why she’s so alone. Her brothers and sisters are basically trained to kill and she..she was raised to..love. She was raised to love in a family who was born to hate. Talk about irony. I wonder if she knows about this wall. Maybe I should tell her. Or maybe she doesn’t want to talk about it. I should ask why she came back here."