Vanessa opened the door to find a ragged and weary Spencer.  “Spence?”  Vanessa stared at her doubtfully.   “What’s wrong?  Why…what…you didn’t have to return my clothes tonight…”

“I…hmm,” Spencer stared down at her feet. 

Vanessa reached out and lifted Spencer’s chin with her fingertips.  “Hey, it’s okay.  Look, why don’t you come in?  You haven’t eaten since this morning, have you?”  Vanessa smiled, knowingly.  Every so often, Spencer would retreat into one of her “Ashley” moods and come over to Vanessa’s after not doing much of anything all day, including not eating.  “I was just about to have some dinner and I have extra.  Let me get you a plate.”

Spencer nodded distractedly and took a step over the threshold and into the apartment. 

Vanessa brought over two plates of Mandarin chicken pieces, rice, and steamed broccoli.  Spencer picked up the fork and pushed the food around.  She looked up at Vanessa, who was sitting across from her, and frowned slightly, “I’m not really that hungry.”     

Shrugging, Vanessa casually said, “No worries.  So…”  She hesitated.  “Do you want to talk?”

A silence hung in the air.  Vanessa slowly ate her meal.  Spencer continued pushing around the rice and the chicken pieces. 

“Are you in love with me?” 

Vanessa’s head popped up.  “What?” 

“Vanessa,” Spencer started slowly, “are you …”

“No…no, I heard what you said,” Vanessa interrupted, not wanting to hear the question again.  “But why do you ask?  I mean, it just seems a bit out of, like kind of, completely out of context.  Whydoyouask?”  Vanessa’s words came in rapid succession; it was as if she was afraid they wouldn’t come out at all if she didn’t string them together in one long word. 

“Vanessa?”  Spencer repeated.  “Do you?”  She looked at the brunette sitting across from her.

The brunette looked down at her food, taking her turn to push food around on her plate.  “I…hmm…I didn’t…”  She looked up at Spencer.  “I didn’t mean to,” she whispered.

For the first time since her flashback this afternoon, Spencer smiled.  “No one really ever means to fall in love.” 

“It’s just…it’s stupid.  I knew you’d never…” Vanessa shook her head.