Chapter Text
Ashlyn was getting ready in her bathroom when she heard her phone blasting in the kitchen. She quickly finished what she was doing and got to her phone.
3 missed calls. One voicemail. She didn't recognize the number so she just listened to it right away to see if it was important.
"Hi Ash it's me. Hum, Lucy. I just wanted to know how you were feeling and tell you I miss you. I messed up terribly by leaving you and I m so mad at myself for hurting you this way. I really miss you. Please call me back"
"Oh hell no" Ashlyn said to herself before pocketing her phone.
She did it too many times. Coming back to this woman, even when she did not deserve it. Forgave her too many things. She needs to move on and as a matter of fact, this is exactly what she plans on doing by sharing a dinner with the gorgeous brunette and her son tonight. So no negative thoughts right now.
Ashlyn grabs her key cars and close her door.
She stopped on the way to get a bottle of whine and some white flowers for Ali because she didn't feel like showing up empty handed.
"Hiiiiii" says Adam right as she was about to knock on the door
"Hi Kiddo! you were waiting for me?" Ash says with a big grin
The little boy nods before running back into the house. Ali comes into view.
"Those are for you" Ash says handing up to her the wine and flowers
"Oh you didn't have to but that's really sweet. Wine is my weakness" Ali says with a smile
Dinner goes perfectly and Adam is delighted to show Ashlyn all his pat pawtrol toys. She plays for a while with him and Ali finds it absolutely endearing.
Soon enough the little boy is passed out on Ashlyn's lap as she's chatting nicely with his mom.
"So Ali, tell me more about yourself" Ashlyn says gently
"Well..I m a single mom, Adam father is not in the picture as I guess you noticed" Ali says with a pointed look
"I didn't want to assume" Ashlyn says slightly uncomfortable
"Well it's just Adam and me. I m a federal agent and I work crazy hours but I would not exchange it for the world. I love my job. I've been in Florida for a few years now. And that's about all I can think of right now" Ali says with a smile "What about you? What brings you here?" Ali adds
Ashlyn chocks on her wine and disturb the little boy sleeping on her lap.
"Sorry" she mumbles as she tries to get her breathing to normal again.
She looks up and sees Ali looking at her with a genuine smile and soft eyes, and as she thinks about it she realizes she could actually need a friend. Someone she could share her story with.
"Well that's a bit odd and I don't want you to have a bad image of me but...if you really want to know I can tell you" Ashlyn says
"I don't want to force you, I just want to get to know you so feel free to share with me whatever you're comfortable with sharing." Ali answers simply
Ok here goes nothing Ashlyn thinks.
"Well I used to live on the other side of the country until 1 month ago. I met a woman 10 years ago, and I immediately fell in love. She was my everything. At first we became friends and it was okay but I knew I wanted more. The thing is, she was married. Married to same guy for 20 years. She was so miserable, always talking to me about how selfish he was, how he never did anything to surprise her, or to make her smile. She was always telling me how she was staying only for her girls. 'Cause yes of course she's a mum. She has two great girls. They are really great kids.We became closer and closer and one day she asked me how come that in all the time she knew me I never mentioned any romantic interest in anyone. I was very ill at ease and I told her I just didn't think about it, and she asked me if there was anyone I had feelings for. I met her eyes, and before I knew it she kissed me. And it was the beginning of the most heartbreaking story of my life. Long story short, I was her mistress for 8 years, her husband found our messages on her phone, he confronted her, she denied everything, said it was only sex, put the blame on me only. We didn't talk since. I met her at a dancing bar 1 or 2 weeks later, and when her husband saw me, he kissed her passionately just in front of me. Like a dog marking his territory. I knew I could not witness it. I could only take so much. On the next day I asked to get transferred to Orlando, I got an offer very quickly that I accepted and next thing I know I m leaving all my life and starting from scratch in a new city."
Ali stood there, dumbfounded. She did not know what to say. Her heart ached for this woman she barely knew. Of course being someone mistress is never ideal, but being treated this way when you really love the person is terrible.
"Whouah. I can't imagine how much this must have hurt you." Ali says gently
"Yeah... If I could go back in time and cancel this first kiss I would. I wish I never kissed her back and told her about my feelings. I haven't been able to date someone else ever since she came into my life. I needed to leave, no matter how much it hurt me. I knew it was the best thing to do." Ashlyn states simply.
"I think you're right. You needed a fresh start after this terrible heartbreak. You needed to think about yourself. Make yourself a priority when this person wasn't capable of doing that." Ali says gently putting her hand on Ashlyn's.
They stare at each other for a little moment until Adam stirs.
"I should put him to bed. I'll be back in 5 mns" Ali says
As promised she's back very quickly. She sats back on the sofa and after 2 glasses of wine, Ali finds the courage of asking something she would never ask on normal circumstances.
"This woman, has she tried to contact you since you arrived here?" she asks
"Actually yes. She hadn't in the last month but today right before I got here, she called me. I didn't pick up so she left a voice mail saying she missed me and she was feeling so bad for hurting me... but it's too late for this now. I don't want to hear a stupid apology. She had 8 years to make a choice, and when she got the chance to do it, I think the choice she made was pretty clear." Ashlyn says feeling brave thanks to her glasses wine
"Well I think you're right. Self care is important." Ali says with a smile
"Thanks" Ashlyn says blushing
The tension in the air is thick. Both women can feel the conversation is too intense for too people who barely know each other. Ali looks up and meets soft hazel eyes looking back at her. Before she knows it, she's kissing the blond's lips. She doesn't know if it's because her heart aches for the blond pain, if it's because she hasn't kissed anyone in a long long time, if it's because Ashlyn is more than her type. She doesn't know. But when she feels the blond kiss her back, she stops thinking. She just enjoys a passionate kiss until something flicks in her mind. She pulls back before it gets too heated.
"I m sorry. I don't know what got into me. You're my son teacher, I barely know you and I just..." Ali starts rambling and before she can finish her sentence Ashlyn lips are back on hers. Softly. Slowly. It's not sexual, not sensual. It's healing. The kind of kiss you give to ease the pain.
She pulls back slowly, and looks at the brunette's eyes softly.
"Thank you Ali. For not judging. For understanding. For taking the time to make me feel welcome here. As for me being Adam's teacher, I always separate my private and my professional life and I suppose you do the same. I had a really nice time, and after everything I told you, you know that right now I m not looking for anything more than friendship, but I'd really like to get to know you and be your friend." Ashlyn says gently
"I would love that too." Ali smiles
"Great. I m gonna go now it's getting late, and I don't want to keep you up too late. I'll see you at school tomorrow?" Ashlyn asks while she grabs her car keys
"Yep you sure will. Goodnight Ash."
"Goodnight Ali."
This night, Ashlyn stares at her ceiling. Lucy called. But Ashlyn knows for a fact that doesn't want to call her back.
She kissed Ali. And even if that didn't mean anything, she hadn't kissed anyone in a long time. The last person other than Lucy that she kissed was a girl she found in a bar on an evening where Lucy went to the movies with her husband. She was so hurt that she found the first brunette in a bar and kissed her.
Ashlyn sights. She wanna move on. She's not there yet but Ali could be the perfect reason to move on. But for now she will just enjoy this woman friendship and what must happen will happen. Time will tell.
But for the first time in a while, Ash feels lighter when she goes to sleep that night.