ASHLEY'S POV :

      Tiana and I have spent the last three days in LA , and I think we've talked more in that span of time than we have in the entire time that she's been in Vegas . We've gone over anything we could think of that could cause any issues , and I think we're pretty solid now .

       Right now , we're in her truck , just crossing back into Vegas , and she glances over at me and asks , "So , is that offer still open ?"

       "Which offer is that , babe ?" 

       "The one about moving in with you . If Brian's that pissed at you , things could get awkward if you stay over , and I've figured out that I don't particularly enjoy sleeping by myself ."

       "Of course it is ! I was trying to figure out if I should ask if you were still interested ." , I tell her .

       "Well , then I'll grab a few things from the house that I'll need for the next couple of days , until I can get some boxes to pack everything up ." , she says . "That'll also give us a chance to figure out where everything can go ." 

       "I'm assuming that means Bertram , right ?", I ask .

       " Sure does , we're a package deal . Love me , love my dragon !", she proclaims .

       "Okay , fine , but he's NOT hanging over the bed . I refuse to negotiate on that ." 

       She laughs , and says that's fine , and we pull into the driveway of the house . As we get out , I see that both cars are there , so Brian and Scott are both home . "Maybe I should just wait here , or go on home ." , I say .

       "Ash , my room has a separate entrance , remember ?" , she says . "You two don't even have to acknowledge each other , if you don't want to ."

      So I go ahead and follow her inside , and she hands me a bag and asks me to grab her shower stuff and makeup from the bathroom , while she grabs some clothes and some of her writing stuff . As I'm putting shampoo and things in the bag , I hear the bedroom door open , and Brian says , "Did I just see Ash come in with you ? I told him he wasn't welcome here ! And what the hell is he doing here with you ,anyway ?" 

       "Lighten up , Brian ! We worked everything out , and he's helping me grab stuff for a few days until I can get everything packed up and moved ." , she says .

       "So you're still planning to move in with him ?" , I hear Scott's voice inquire .

       "That's what I'm working on right now ." 

       "No ." , Brian states . "In fact , not just no , but hell no !" 

        I put down the bag and walk out of the bathroom just as Tiana says , "Excuse the HELL out of me ! What is that supposed to mean ?"

        "It means exactly what it sounds like . No . You are not moving in with Ashley . In fact , you are going to stay the fuck away from him ." ,Brian says , and grabs the duffel bag out of her hand .

       Before either Scott or I can say or do anything , Brian is suddenly airborne , winding up on his back in the floor on the other side of the bed . He lays there for a few seconds , with the wind apparently knocked out of him , and she stalks over to stand over him , with the two of us following a few steps behind .

       "Where in the unholy purple FUCK did you get the idiotic idea that I take orders from you ?!" , she literally growls at him . "And if you think you wanna get up and try that little trick again , you'd better call and get one of your colleagues on standby , because next time , I break something !"

       "Tiana , all that's ever going to happen is him finding some way to fuck you over and make you miserable , and I'm not going to just stand there and let that happen ." , he shouts , picking himself up out of the floor .

       "I don't believe that , and whether that's the case or not , it's not your decision to make ." , she announces flatly . "And if you can't accept that , it's your problem , not mine ."

      "Bri , that's not going to happen ." , I tell him . "I'm too miserable without her to do anything to screw it up again ." 

       "Yeah , I actually believed that , until you pulled that shit the other night . Now , not so much ."

       "Babe , this isn't your choice ." , Scott says , putting his hand on Brian's shoulder in an attempt to calm him down .

       "Fuck , Scott , she's YOUR sister ! Do you want to see her constantly getting fucked over ?" , Brian yells at him , pushing off his hand.

       "No , I don't , but I don't think that's going to happen this time ." , Scott replies , "Plus , I have enough of a self - preservation instinct not to try to make her do something she doesn't want to do ."

      "Brian , get a grip !" , Tiana says , in an exasperated voice . "I told you , everything is all right now , you can stop being mad at him . But whether you do or not , I'm not changing my mind . Come on , Ash , let's go . I'll get Rick or somebody to help me get the rest of this in a couple of days ."

       Just as we start to open the door to go back outside , Brian says ,"If you leave with him , I swear I'll call Bonnie and tell her the whole story ! Do you really think she's gonna be thrilled about having him around when she finds out that he knocked up her fifteen year old daughter and bailed ?"

      She stops in her tracks for a couple of seconds , then shoves the duffle bag at me and turns around . She walks back over to Scott and Brian , and stops when she's almost nose - to - nose with Bri .

       "You know what , Brian , if that's the type of person you are , then just go right the fuck ahead ." , she tells him , in a completely calm , very soft voice . Scott's eyes get wide , and he backs up a couple of steps . I turn around ,and catch a glimpse of her face in the mirror , and I realize that she is absolutely furious . I do not EVER want to be on the receiving end of that look , or that voice . It's kind of what a glacier might sound like , if it could talk . Sort of like nuclear winter , I guess .

       Brian looks surprised , and opens his mouth , but she holds up her hand and says , "Not one word ! I don't want to hear another word from you , we're done ! Don't call me , don't text me , don't leave me sticky notes . As far as I'm concerned , you no longer exist . I have no interest in wasting my time on someone who thinks that trying to screw up someone's life is the appropriate response to not getting your own fucking way !"

       She looks over to Scott and says , "Sorry you wound up in the middle of this shit , bro . Give me a call and let me know when the drama queen is gonna be out , and I'll come back for the rest of my stuff . Otherwise , I'll have to call and have a couple of cops come with me . And you're welcome to come see me anytime , if you want to ."

       She walks back over to me , takes her bag , and walks out , and I follow her out to her truck . We get in and drive to my house , and carry her bags inside .

       I take the bag from her , and lead her over to the couch , sitting down and pulling her into my lap . "Babe , you know he didn't mean that ." , I whisper into her ear . "He's just trying to look out for you . I mean , I did fuck up pretty bad the other night ."

      "If that was all it was , it wouldn't be such a problem ." , she tells me . "But I'm not going to be told what I can or can't do by anybody , not even you ." 

       "Then I guess it's a good thing that I don't intend to try ."

       "And I can't be friends with someone I can't trust . If he's willing to even threaten to break a promise , just because I , or anybody , won't do what he wants them to do , then what else is he going to do ? No ."

       "Well , then , what happens if he does call your mom ? Like he said , she probably wouldn't be real happy with that particular newsflash ."

       "No , probably not . But that was fifteen years ago , and if I can accept it , then she should be able to . If not , then we'll just have to agree to disagree , because I don't plan to let you get away from me again , whether anybody else likes it or not ." , she says , looking me directly in the eye . "I love you , and I'm happy when I'm with you , and that's all that should count ."

       "I'm glad to hear that , because I feel the same way ." , I say . "I just hate thinking that I'm the one causing all this trouble with you and Brian , and maybe Scott , depending on whether or not he takes sides ." 

       "You didn't cause it , he did , by not being willing to let this go , even when I have ." , she says . "And it's entirely his choice whether or not we might ever go back to being friends . If he can get over this delusion he has that he's in charge of my life , maybe I'll forgive him at some point . But if he actually follows through with what he said , and actually calls my mom , then he's dead to me , I will never speak to him again ."

      Hearing her tone , I know she means exactly what she says , and I just hope , for both their sakes , that my cousin realizes that , too , and doesn't do something that he can't undo . Because they've been so important to each other , for so long , that I'm not sure that either of them would ever completely recover if they lost each other . And I hope I don't have to find out the answer to that question .