Part 1
-June 27th 2014-
"Conversing with the enemy Harris." Nikki comments as she approaches Ashlyn, who's talking to Whitney near the tunnel. They are at BBVA stadium practicing for tomorrows game against the Dash.
Whitney had showed up early to the stadium to talk to Ashlyn. She shoots Nikki a feeble tempt of a glare, "I am trying to convince Ashlyn to finally ask Ali out, that was before you so rudely interrupted us Cross." Ashlyn drops her head and covers her face with her hands.
"I missed you too Whitney" Nikki laughs, "Maybe if we double team her she'll give in, cause I've been trying to convince her since she flew to DC, back when Ali tore her ACL.." Nikki and Whitney hug and Ashlyn looks up at her two best friends. She knows they are not going to let up.
"Guys seriously she's my-"
"Best friend" Whit and Nikki say in unison, "We know" Ashlyn drops her head back looking up and lets out an exaggerated sigh.
"Can you honestly say that nothing bad will come of this?" She looks at her two best friends, "Can you guaranty that our friendship wont be different if she doesn’t see me like that?" The look on Ashlyn's face says how scared she is to take this step, to step on the other side of the line that she and Ali have been dancing on for years.
Whitney turns to Nikki, who look at the blonde for a second more before she turns to Whitney, the two seem to have a conversation with each other in their heads. It drives Ashlyn crazy casing her to shift restlessly. After what seems like forever in her eyes, they nod at each other, "Gosh, you guys are weird"
Nikki responds, "You love us! but not as much as you love A-" her mouth is being covered by Ashlyn before she can finish. Ashlyn has her arm around her and they start to wrestle. Nikki puts up a pretty good fight but Ashlyn basically carries her away.
"What was that about?" Ali asks once she gets closer to Whitney. Ali had noticed Whit, Nikki and Ashlyn talking and wanted to say hi to her fellow National Teamer. Whit just chuckles, "No idea" and wraps Ali in a hug, "How you doing Ali?"
Ali just smiles and shakes her head. "I'm good, I thought those two were done wrestling for the day, but I guess that's what happens when one your best friends is on the same team as you" They look over and Ash has Nikki on the ground still covering her mouth from behind. They laugh and start talking.
"Harris! Cross! Don’t make me bench you for tomorrow!" The duo look over at their coach and Ashlyn lets go, "Sorry Coach" they both reply.
Nikki sits up and looks over at Whit and Ali, she sees Ali look over, smile and shake her head at Ashlyn.
Nikki looks at Ashlyn, "Look at her Ash," Ashlyn looks over to Ali and smiles, "how can you doubt that she wants to be with you?"
"It's not that simple Nik" She looks back to her friend.
"I see the way she looks at you Ash"
"Let me guess. Like I put the stars in the sky. Please, she knows I'm anything but perfect" They both look at Ali and Whit, who are laughing, heads thrown back, happy as can be.
"No… like the stars she's seen have always been dull, but you've made them shine brighter" Nikki turns to Ashlyn, "like you've made her whole world brighter just by existing." Ashlyn spins her head to look at the defender, "She likes you as you are Ash." Nikki stands up and offers her hand you Ashlyn, "Just think about it. Seriously. You guys have a really strong bond that won't be broken. Take a chance Harris." She pats Ashlyn on the back and walks to the locker room.
Ashlyn walks over to Ali and Whitney, "Well Whit we should go shower cause we without a doubt stink," Ali laughs out. Whit laughs and Ash just shakes her head. Ali starts to walk to the locker room and looks over to Ashlyn, "I'll meet you in the locker room" Ali nods, waves to Whit and goes into the tunnel.
Whit waves to Ali and looks at Ashlyn, "Care to share?" she asks. Ashlyn shakes her head and looks at Whitney, “Nikki made a few good points … but it doesn't make it any easier Whit”
"Look. Ash.. we wouldn't be pushing this so much if we had any doubt that it would go south between you too." She puts her hand on Ashlyn’s shoulder, "They way you two look at each other, like you could care less if any one else was in the room. Like your lives would become dark with out the other."
Ashlyn looks at Whit, she sees the truth of her words in her eyes, so she just nods in response. Taking in the words of her two best friends. "Take a chance Ashlyn" Whit says.
Ashlyn shakes her head with a chuckle, it scared her how much her two best friends spoke the same words, "Ok … I'll leave it to chance then, If I get a shut out tomorrow, I'll ask her on a date."
"Promise?"
"I Promise"
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-June 28th 2014-
As fate would have it, Ashlyn gets a shut out.
Once the final whistle blows she can't help but throw her head back and laugh. (Of course) Subconsciously though she's knew she would, she trusted her abilities when between the post.
Ali rushes over, jumping on her, "You did great Ash! You got a shut out too!"
Ashlyn catches her with ease and spins the right back around, "Well you and Nikki barley let the ball get to me. Almost like it was your mission to get me a clean sheet." she state with raised eyebrows.
"Well it's kind of our job Harris," Nikki comments as Ash puts Ali down, “ but don't be modest, you had some sweet saves”
Whit pops up out of no where, "Great game guys, Congrats on the shut out Ash" she winks at the keeper, and Nikki looks curiously at her.
"Thanks Whit" Ashlyn responds with a hint of sarcasm. Ali and Nikki look at each other and shrug, not knowing with was going on.
After signing some autographs and taking pictures with the fans, Ali and Ash are the last too enter the locker room. Nikki tells them they have about 25 mins before the team bus leaves them, so they shower in a hurry. They finish getting dressed with 10 minutes to spare. (wow that has to be a record of some sort) Ashlyn is packing her gear into her bag when Ali walks out from the bathroom, after putting on some mascara.
Ali sits in front of her locker to find all her gear already packed, she looks over to Ashlyn and smiles, "Why thank you Stud."
Ashlyn smirks at her and winks, "No problem." She picks up both bags, "Come on Princess, before the bus leaves us here."
Ashlyn hadn't expected Ali to stand up and turn so quick that they end up with their faces inches away from each other.
Ali's breathing hitches as she collides with the blonde, bringing her hands up to Ash's chest to steady herself. Ashlyn had dropped the bags, her hands instinctively going to the defender hips to catch her, she swallows audibly.
Ali could feel the keeper's heart beat quicken when her own eyes fall down to Ash lips. Unable to control her actions, Ali licks her lips.
The action didn't go unnoticed by Ashlyn (Holy... Fuck) she parts her lips, "...Alex..." she breathes out
"yeah.." Ali says breathlessly, eyes still trained on the keepers lips.
"Will you go on a date with me?"
The question snaps Ali out of her trance, "huh?" her eye's met Ashlyn's with question.
This causes Ashlyn to let go of Ali's waist and back up a little bit. She rubs the back of her neck and stutters like a fool, "I, uh, asked-" she sighs (Take a chance Harris) "Would you like to go on a date with me... On Monday?"
Ali is still in shock (Did she … she just asked me out? like on a real da-) her thoughts are interrupted by Ashlyn.
"you don’t have to... it was stupid.."
"Ash"
"I mean, gosh I'm so stupid..."
"Ash"
We- uh- we're friends..."
"Sure"
"Why would you want to... wait- what?"
“I'd love to go on a date with you” Ali grins at Ashlyn's expression, she looks like a kid who was just told they are going to Disneyland for the first time.
"Really?" the pure, joy filled, beautiful smile Ashlyn made, made Ali's heart melt.
“Really, really” Ali matched Ashlyn's smile as she stepped forward and kissed Ash on the cheek.
Just when Ali stepped back Nikki came in, “guys come on th-“ she looked at the close proximity of the two. Ash was in a daze with the goofiest smile and Ali was blushing bright red, Nikki raised an eyebrow, “uh… bus is ready.” She turned around quickly and walked out leaving the duo alone.
Ash finally snapped out of her trance and smiled at Ali, she turned and offered her arm to Ali, who chuckled, “your chariot awaits Princess.”
Ash picks up the discarded bags and Ali slips her hand through the keepers arm and they make their way to the bus.
(Holy shit I can't believe she said yes)
(wow I can't believe she asked me out)
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-July 1st 2014-
“I don't get it HAO. Yesterday was perfection.” Ali huffs. She's in Heather’s hotel room a floor below her Spirit teammates. It was early morning and the two were going to breakfast together.
The 29th was a travel day for the Spirit to Boston, where they would play the Breakers on the 2nd.
“I thought for sure she was gonna ask me out. She didn't even kiss me!” Ali continues to whine to her best friend.
Heather just shakes her head at the dramatic defender, “Ali. Calm. Down. I haven't had coffee yet and quit honestly I have no idea how you are even this talkative since you haven't either.”
Ali just pouts and HAO laughs. They finally make their way to a small dinner, where they are seated and drink orders are taken.
As soon as the coffee hits the back of Heathers throat Ali is back at it. “Ok you've had your coffee-“
She's cut off by HAO giving her the ‘one second’ gesture holding up her finger and takes another sip. Ali is impatiently drumming her fingers on the table. Heather closes her eyes and shallows the warm liquid, lets out a content sigh and opens her eyes, “you may processed.”
Ali rolls her eyes at her friends antics, “Seriously Heather what if I'm reading the signs wrong? What if she doesn't like me like that?” Ali looks at her desperate for an answer. She was so sure that Ashlyn wanted to be more than friends, but after Ash just hugged her goodnight and made her go into her room, she was confused.
“I mean, she can get any girl at a bar, just by blinking, why would she want to be tied down? Why would she give that up to date me?”
“Ok. Stop. First, yes Ash could get any girl” Ali slumps in her chair, “but you, Alexandra Krieger, are not just any girl.” Ali looks up. “When is the last time Ash took a girl on a date?”
Ali thinks about it, since they've met, she knows Ash has had a handful of one night stands. But never really gone on a date. Girls would give their numbers to her left and right but she's rarely contacted them. She had seen Ash blow off some of the most gorgeous looking girls, while sitting right next to her.
“You are not just some girl to her Ali. Ashlyn would swim across the Atlantic. Hell the Pacific just to date you.”
“Then why isn't she dating me?” Ali argued.
“What do you call last night?” HAO countered.
Ali groaned in frustration, HAO tries a different approach, “just, start from the beginning, what happened yesterday? we’ll dissect it together ok?” Ali nods her head, taking HAO to the 30th.
Ali was nervous, like first day of the rest of your life, nervous. Sure she had been the calmer one when Ashlyn asked her on the date, but now that the blonde was going to be knocking on her door at any minute, she was freaking out.
She does the one thing she always does when she's freaking out. Calls her big brother.
"Hey B”
“I can't do this Kyle”
“Do what”
“Go on this date… with Ash”
“Oh that. For a second I thought you were talking about the date with the gorgeous, blonde you've been crazy about for the past.. oh let's say.. 4 years?”
“Ugh Kyle! Be serious for 5 seconds would you!”
“Ok, ok, calm down. Look you’ve seen the signs Alex. You've wanted to go on an actual date with her for a long time and it's happening lil sis.”
“But I can't-“
“Can we skip to the date part of this.” Heather interrupted, Ali just glared at her, “never mind”
“Alexandra what did you promise me you'd do if Ashlyn asked you out?”
“Kyyyyllle”
“Answer me”
“ thatidgiveitachance”
“What was that?”
“That I'd give it a chance”
“A promise is a promise B, now shut up and put your big girl panties on… or none.. wait eww.. never mind.”
“KLYLE!”
“Right. Sorry. You are a Krieger! A mother fucking WARRIOR! Now put on your war paint and go get your girl!”
Just then there was a knock on the door, “gotta go. Love you Kyle” Ali hung up before Kyle could say anything else.
She checked her make up, or ‘war paint’ as Kyle had said, took a deep breathe the steady herself (You're a Warrior Alex.) and opened the door.
“Well, you look cute”
Ali was wearing a grey loose fitting vneck, dark blue jeans with her hair down. Ashlyn had said be comfortable. Ali had a beaming smile but it fell quickly when the woman in front of her was not Ashlyn.