Part 2
“Nikki? Why did Nikki pick you up?” Heather questioned. “Did Ash Bail? I thought you said you had a great night?”
Ali sighed and glared at her, “ are you gonna keep interrupting me?” HAO put her hands up in surrender and shook her head.
“Ouch I know I'm not the one you want to see, but I was instructed to escort you to Ashlyn.” Nikki was standing there with her hands behind her back and a smile on her face, “ oh and these are for you” she hands Ali a dozen blue roses.
They were the most beautiful roses Ali had ever seen, she took them from Nikki, instinctively bringing them to her nose. They were real. (Where do you find real blue roses on such short notice?) she smiled at Nikki.
“Hi Nikki, I'm sorry. Just surprised is all” Nikki smiles and offers her arm to Ali, they walk down the hall to the stairs.
“I've also been instructed to blindfold you, but I'll wait till we get to the bottom of the stairs”
Ali stopped in her tracks, eyes widen at the statement. Nikki laughs. After a little bit of coaxing from the fellow defender, Ali continues to the stairs and they began their decent to the lobby. Once they reached the bottom Nikki told Ali it was time to be blindfolded, she told her not to worry, that she wouldn’t let her fall or Ashlyn would kick her ass. Ali chuckled and allowed Nikki to blindfold her and guide her out of the stairwell.
Ali heard the automatic glass doors open but couldn't really tell if it was the front or the back of the hotel. She was lead down a stone path, she could see solar lanterns through the bottom of the blindfold and she figured they were in the back area of the hotel.
Nikki stops and Ali is about to take off the blindfold when she feels a hand on her hand. It sends shivers through her body, she knew it belonged to Ashlyn.
"Not yet Princess" she teases, "Thanks Nikki, I'll take it from here." Ali hears Nikki say good luck and walk off. "Do you trust me?" She hears Ashlyn ask.
"Of course" Ali doesn't even hesitate to answer. Her heart rate increases 10 fold when she feels Ash put her hands on her hips, guiding her from behind a few feet forward. Ash take her hands away from her hips and to the blindfold to untie it.
When the blindfold comes down, Ali grins. Before her is a blanket laid out on the grass, candles on all four corners. A black Bluetooth speaker on top of it, a small red cooler next to it, with Champaign glasses on top, and a thermos on the side. To the left, much to her amazement, is a telescope.
"Ash... How-" Ali just stands there, until Ash takes her hand and leads her to the blanket.
"Have a seat." Ali wordlessly complies, "The candles are fake, the hotel wouldn’t let me have real ones, something about safety hazard." they both laugh, "the glasses are for" Ash pulls out a bottle from the cooler, "the sparkling cider, since we aren't allowed to drink. Also we have ingredients to make Acai Bowls, with strawberries, bananas', granola and almonds. I didn't want us to break our nutrition plan too much." Ali giggles at that, "but I do have a slice of cheesecake we can share." she winks at Ali, who blushes, "the thermos has coffee incase we get cold... I figure we could listen to music while we looked at the moon and stars through the telescope..."
"Oh. My. God. That is adorable!" Heather states, "sorry. I just had to say something, continue." Ali just smiles and chuckles at the memory.
Ali is still speechless but has her nose-crinkle grin on.
"um I know it's not much, but I didn’t want to go to a restaurant surrounded by people for our first date." Ashlyn says shyly, ducking her head a little bit.
"Ash, it's perfect." She replies smiling like a fool. "Wh- Where did you get a telescope from?"
"um.. called in a favor, no biggie... I just have to remember to sign my jersey and give it to receptionist before we leave."
They ate the food, sipped the cider, and talked about nothing and every thing at the same time. Laughing as they shared stories, much to both of their surprises, they hadn't told the other. Half way through the night Ali shivered, and Ashlyn gave her the jacket she had. They took turns looking through the telescope, well Ali did mostly, she had never seen the moon this close, and it look so beautiful. Ashlyn just sat back and watched the girl of her dreams gazing at the night sky.
When they laid on their backs, their hands found each other, fingers caressing, entwined in the most intimate, yet innocent, way.
Suddenly two shooting stars shone across the sky, "quick make a wish, their was one for both of us" Ashlyn beamed.
(I wish I could call her mine) they both said in their minds.
After a few moments of silence Ashlyn asked, "What did you wish for?"
"I cant tell you, then it wont come true" Ali said turning her head to Ashlyn.
Ash laughed and turned to Ali, "that's only for birthday wishes"
Looking into each other eyes, "not uh, it's for all wishes" Ali smiles, "I'm not risking my wish"
They lay in a comfortable silence, hands still together, smiling, eyes locked, minds at war with themselves to make a move.
The silence was broken by Ashlyn's phone, she sat up to check it, it was her alarm telling her curfew was soon. She exhaled, "It's almost curfew," she stood up and offered her hand to Ali, who had sat up. "I have to get you back to your room princess, before we get grounded from the game."
Ali laughs and takes her hand, she gets effortlessly pulled to her feet by the keeper. Ashlyn packs up the stuff and runs the telescope inside to the front desk real quick. When she returns she grabs the bag of stuff and holds her hand out to Ali. They walk hand and hand up the four flights of stairs, stealing glances at each other, smiles never leaving their faces.
Ashlyn walked Ali to her room, even though Ali protested because they passed Ashlyn's along the way. "We passed your door, how come I can't walk you to your door"
"Cause I want to make sure you get in your room safely" Ash said sincerely.
"But how will I know if you get in safely?""Its four doors down what could happen"
"apparently a lot since you have to walk me to mine" Ali sassed.
"don't start with me princess"
"are you implying that I can not defend myself stud"
They stop in front of Ali's door, hands still intertwined, "I know that you are capable of defending yourself, I just like to have the peace of mind that you are in fact safely inside." they turn to each other.
Ali with her back to the door, "how do you know some one isn’t in my room waiting to kidnap me right now?" she says point behind her.
The blonde lets go of the right backs hand, Ali internally pouts, "do you want me to go in and check?" she says seriously. Ali chuckles and drops her head, when the keeper looks at her she sees the smile on her face and playfully glares at her. "haha, good one Krieger" she looks at her watch, "I gotta go, before they do a hallway check."
Ali nods and steps towards Ashlyn. Ashlyn wraps her in a hug, lets her go and takes a step back, "time to go in" she says.
Ali is taken back, she kind of expected the night to end in a kiss, but when Ash continues to step backwards slowly she get the hint, "Goodnight Ash"
Ashlyn motions for the door and Ali puts her key in to open it, she turns around to get one last look at the blonde.
"Goodnight Alex"
"Wow... ok' Heather is speechless, "I would have expected a kiss goodnight too."
"See what I mean! I'm telling you I read into it wrong, some how.. "
"No you didn't," she looks Ali in the eyes, "Ash probably wants to take it slow with you, you know do this right. No kissing on the first date type of deal. Because there is no way that wasn’t an actual date to her. She said it herself, she wanted to be alone with you on the first date, it's more intimate."
Ali still wasn’t sure. It took a lot of convincing from HAO that Ashlyn wanted to be with her, she just didn’t want to mess things up. Some how HAO was able to break through to Ali that she read all the signs right.
"Why don’t you ask her to be your girlfriend?" Heather questioned, "I mean, we all know you guys are gonna end up together, so why don’t you ask her"
Ali tilted her head slightly, "you know what, I never thought about it..."
"why wait around for her you to do it" Heather encouraged.
"Yeah... yeah you're right why wait for her to make a move."
"You are Alexandra freaking Krieger! You can take matters into your own hands!"
"I'm Alexandra freaking Krieger! I'm gonna do it! I'm gonna ask her out!” Ali proclaimed, she had new found courage, she wasn't gonna sit around and wait for Ash to make the first move.
“Atta girl, now hurry up and finish eating, we have to get back to the hotel before they think I've kidnapped you to increase or chance of scoring.” HAO joked.
They made their way back to the hotel discussing when Ali would take the big step. She felt ready. Empowered really to get her girl.
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-July 9th 2014-
Over a week had passed since their game in Boston, Ali was on edge. Even after her empowering talk with Heather, she ultimately decided to let Ash at least have a chance to take the reigns and ask her to be her girlfriend.
They had gone on another date and Ashlyn still hadn't asked or even tried to kiss her, Ali was annoyed. She was pondering on ignoring the blonde until she womaned up but since they lived together, and she was madly in love with her, she couldn't bring herself to do it.
It was a Wednesday morning, Ali was wide away at an ungodly hour for a day off. Ash and Ali had agreed to spend the day just hanging out and pack that night, they were scheduled to be in New York tomorrow for their game against the Flash on the 12th.
The right back couldn't help but go for a run, she needed to clear her mind. She knew Ash wouldn't be up for another five hours, so she took the scenic route. As soon as she started to pace herself her mind went to the basics: left foot, right foot, breath in, breath out, head up, don't stop, repeat. What she loved so much about running was the feeling like nothing could touch you, even though in fact she knew something/someone could. It was liberating. She wasn't running away from anything or to anything in particular, and that was what helped clear her mind. By the time she found herself back home she knew exactly what she wanted.
She took a shower, got dressed and went to the kitchen, a women on a mission.
Ashlyn had walked into the kitchen in a zombie like state, the smell of coffee and bacon had woken her from the slumber. She didn’t even get dressed, instinct had taken over, her body moving with a purpose. That purpose being food and coffee.
Ali had heard the keeper's feet shuffling across the tiled floor, and smirk. She handed Ash a coffee mug with out even looking up, "Good morning Stud," She heard her grunt and chuckled, "breakfast should be done in a minute." the blonde hummed in approval.
When Ali turned to look at Ashlyn she had to bite back a moan and her lip, there stood her keeper in boxer briefs and sports bra, sleepily reaching for the coffee pot. Her first thought was to just take her right then and there, breakfast be damned. Her second thought was to stop her before she burned herself with the coffee from still being more asleep than awake.
Even with the half naked beauty before her, the latter of the two thoughts ultimately won as she reached for Ashlyn's hand to stop her from grabbing the pot wrong, "you should definitely wake up more before you try to pour or drink coffee." She mentally slaps herself at her next statement, "and probably go put some clothes on."
Ashlyn pouts with her eyes closed, "coooffffeeeeee" her body once again moving on instinct, she puts her hands on the brunettes hips, pulling her closer to her own body. Ali's hands go to her shoulders. (best dream ever!) Ash's head hanging low, close to Ali's ear, "don wanna get dressed" her voice laced with sleep.
Ali feels the breath in her ear and on her neck, sending lightening across her skin, igniting a fire within her. She lets out a shaky breath that hits Ashlyn's neck and she sees the goosebumps rise on her freckled skin. She tightens her grip on Ash's shoulders, as the blonde tightens her grip on the defenders hips. (wow this dream feels so realistic)
Turning her head slightly to the defender, she parts her lips, eyes yet to open, "May I kiss you." Even in her dream like state of mind Ashlyn remains chivalrous. She feels Ali's whispered 'yes' reach her lips. Ashlyn leans in, Ali licks her lips, when their lips touch lightly Ashlyn realizes, she is in fact not dreaming. She's about to pull away to apologize profusely, but she feels Ali press into the kiss more, and she reciprocates.
To say that time stood still at that moment, was the understatement of the century, because at that moment the universe ceased to exist at all. Their beating hearts became the only things in existence.
Their lips moved slowly and flawlessly against each other, like they had shared a million kisses similar to this one before. So familiar with one another, that air didn't pose a problem for them.
The only reason they separate, is because for some god forsaken reason, Ali remembers that she was cooking. She pulls away painfully slow from the blonde, hearing Ashlyn's 'wow', she taps her left shoulder, "you uh.. you should.. go put some clothes on … so we can eat." Ash nods not really knowing what else to do. Their hands glide off each others body, lingering as if to make sure that what just happened was real.
Ali roboticly plates the food, Ash comes back in sweats and a sleeveless shirt. She watches the defender for a minute, with a new confidence flowing through her veins, she steps in front of Ali.
That July 9th
The beat of your heart
It jumps through your shirt
Ali pauses and her breathing hitches, her hands land on Ashlyn's chest, fists full of the blondes shirt. She can feel the strong rhythmic paces of Ash's heart, she unclenches the shirt, smoothens it out with the palms of her hands. She cautiously runs her hands to the top of the keepers defined shoulders, and lets them glide down her biceps, stopping to gather herself.
Ashlyn feels the tenderness of Ali's touch when her hands first land on her chest, her own hands caress the brunette from her hips up the bottom of her breast. "I'd really like to kiss you again" she brings her left hand up to Ali's cheek and traces her bottom lip with her thumb.
"On one condition," Ali's voice is low, and filled with passion.
"Name it" She looks down at Ali, who's eyes are closed.
Ali looks up, her caramel colored eyes meeting those beautiful hazel ones, "Be my girlfriend"
She sees Ashlyn's one dimpled smile and she becomes a puddle of mush, making her knees go weak.
Ashlyn's heart is beating out of her chest at Ali's statement, she captures the brunettes lips with a passion that she didn't even know she was compatible of expressing. Allowing herself to get lost in the moment before she withdraws.
"Anything for you Princess"