Chapter Text
The only thing Ashlyn Harris wants for the 5-hour, cross-country flight from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C. is peace and quiet.
When a tired, sad-looking (cute, Ashlyn notes) brunette walks up to her row and gives her a tight-lipped smile, she figures her prayers have been answered. But then, said brunette gently pushes her young daughter into Row 23, right into the middle seat.
Ashlyn barely manages to keep from groaning out loud.
She immediately reaches for her noise-cancelling headphones.
Fucking great.
It doesn't turn out as bad as Ashlyn originally envisioned. Cute, Sad Brunette hands her little girl a princess picture book, and the little girl seems engrossed with it, not even flinching as the plane roars to life and takes off into the morning clouds. Ashlyn starts playing games on her phone and shuffling through her music until she's satisfied.
The next time she glances to her left, the brunette is fast asleep. Her daughter has a slight pout on her face, only halfway through her book, but obviously bored. The little girl must notice Ashlyn move out of the corner of her eye, because she turns, looking up at Ashlyn with wide eyes. Ashlyn can only imagine how she feels, and how can she ignore her anyway? So she does the only thing she can think of.
She sticks her tongue out.
The girl continues to stare at her blankly until Ashlyn crosses her eyes.
A smile spreads across the little girl's face, and Ashlyn doesn't need to take her headphones off to know she's giggling.
Figuring she was on the right track, she points to the girl's mom. Then she flops her head to the side, closing one eye, opening her mouth and letting out an obnoxious fake snore. More giggles, and Ashlyn doesn't want the brunette to wake up to being mocked by a stranger on a plane, so Ashlyn gently shushes the girl, even as she laughs herself. Little hands cover a little mouth, and Ashlyn is relieved when the brunette doesn't stir.
She sends her seat mate a little wink. She gets a wide smile in return, and the little girl flips another page.
Ashlyn is admiring the view out the window, fully engrossed in her music, when she feels the gentle touch on her left arm. She jumps as one tiny finger clumsily traces the lines of her tattoo.
Ashlyn reaches up with her right hand, pulling her headphones off and letting them sit around her neck. Concentration unbroken, the little girl never takes her eyes off of her work.
"Do you think that's cool?" Ashlyn asks, in a voice far softer and sweeter than one would imagine belonged to her.
Big brown eyes finally look up in her direction. A smile, an enthusiastic nod.
"Well," Ashlyn shifts, unbuckles, lifting the armrest between them, "let me tell you a story."
She spends the next 10 minutes weaving a tale in hushed tones, using her sleeve as her illustrations, twisting and turning her arm for her captive audience. Once she's done, she smiles at the girl, who just looks at her expectantly.
"'Nother one?"
It's the first thing she's heard her say, and her sweet little mumble melts Ashlyn's heart.
"Sure, kid. Another one."
Halfway through her story about a princess and her unicorn, the little girl shocks Ashlyn by curling up in her seat and laying her head on Ashlyn's left thigh. She falters just slightly, looking over at the girl's mom, who is still sleeping, mouth slightly open, softly snoring.
By the time the princess and her unicorn defeat the dragon, the little girl is sound asleep, her head still on Ashlyn's thigh and her feet stretching into her mom's lap.
It's quiet for a while, so Ashlyn takes advantage of it, pulling her tray table down and pulling out her sketchpad. She debates for only a few seconds before deciding to start sketching the princess and the unicorn from her story.
The only sound coming from their row is the scratch of pencil on paper until the flight attendant goes to pass by with the cart. The cart bumps into the brunette's elbow, startling her awake. After insisting to the apologetic flight attendant that she was fine, she looks over, panic flooding her face when she notices that her daughter is using the blonde as her personal pillow.
"Oh my— I'm so sorry! Let me—"
"No, no!" Ashlyn hushes. "It's— it's okay. Don't disturb her. I told her a couple of different stories before she found them boring enough to pass out on."
"I'm so sorry," the brunette apologizes again, running her fingers over her face and through her hair. "I'm just— it's been a long day," she mumbles, "and I was so tired and—"
"You looked like you needed the rest. I don't mind." The brunette glares at her a little. Ashlyn replays what she said and backtracks. "I mean, you look fine. Great! That's not what I meant."
She barely hears the muttered "Nice try," from the end of the row.
Ah, so that's where the daughter gets it from.
"What was that, Mumbles?"
Another narrow-eyed glare.
"23C?"
Okay, now she's pressing her luck.
"Well, what do your friends call you?" Ashlyn tries again, leaning her head back against the seat, raising her eyebrows and smirking at the still-skeptical brunette.
Her face softens. "Alexandra. Well, Ali."
"Ashlyn. And little Sleeping Beauty down here is?"
"Molly. She's 3, going on 23. A handful, in case you couldn't tell."
Ashlyn chuckles quietly. "She's been the best part of my miserable day, don't you worry."
"You too, huh?"
Ashlyn sighs. "You could say that." She gestures down to her lap. "But I've told enough stories for today. So tell me what's bringing you two to the east coast."
"We're heading back home, to be with my parents. Molly's dad hasn't... he's not in the picture. My brother lives in LA, so we've been staying with him for a while. But there's only so much I can do on my own, you know? It's gotten a lot harder and— wow, sorry, I—" she buries her face in her hands, embarrassed, "I can't believe I'm dumping this on a stranger."
"Hey, we all need someone to talk to," Ashlyn says, tender and genuine. "I'm happy to help."
Ali smiles gratefully before noticing Ashlyn's sketch pad open on her tray table. Ali finally convinces a shy Ashlyn to let her see them all, flipping the book to the beginning. Ali's eyes soften as she watches Ashlyn talk passionately about her work, every sketch, every stroke seeming to have deep meaning for the blonde. They talk until the flight attendant passes again.
"Anything else for you ladies?"
Molly's still passed out in between her and Ali, who shakes her head. Ashlyn says, "We're good, thanks."
Molly chooses that moment to roll over, her nose scrunching adorably as she finds a handful of Ashlyn's shirt in her sleep. Ali looks like she's about to step in, another small flash of panic in her eyes, until the flight attendant lets out a soft awwww and smiles warmly down at Molly, one leg dangling down off the seat.
"She's so precious. She's lucky to have two people who love her as much as you do." She pats Ali's shoulder and walks toward the back of the plane.
Ashlyn feels warmth color her cheeks, and she chuckles.
Ali looks sheepish. "I'm sorry. That... this is awkward."
Ashlyn waves her off. "Don't mention it. If that's the worst thing that happens to me for the rest of the day, I'm doing pretty amazing."
After what feels like an eternity — a good one, Ashlyn thinks, because she and Ali haven't stopped talking, and Ali seems looser, calmer than she was mere hours ago — they are wheels-down in DC. Once they pass through the jetway and out into the terminal, Ashlyn clears her throat, her overzealous bow earning her chuckles from her newfound friends.
"May I escort you ladies to the baggage claim?" she asks in a ridiculous (terrible) British accent.
This time it's Ali's cheeks that flush. In an attempt to hide that fact from Ashlyn (which, Ashlyn will tell her months down the line, didn't work), she looks down at Molly. "I think we would like that, huh, Mol?"
An exuberant "Yay!" is Molly's response.
Ali looks back up at Ashlyn, and Ashlyn's heart flutters, stumbles when she notices Ali's smile finally reach her eyes, a peek of tongue between her teeth.
"Lead the way!"
"You really don't have to do that," Ali insists again, though it's through a laugh and half-hearted at best. Molly giggles loudly from her perch atop Ashlyn's shoulders, her head resting on the black-and-white snapback, arms wrapped underneath Ashlyn's chin.
"The princess must always ride in style!" Ashlyn insists dramatically.
Ali feels something precious and warm settle in her heart, seep into her veins.
They walk out of the airport and into the parking structure, Ashlyn following Ali until she comes to a stop next a small red car.
"This is us," Ali says, her voice tinged with sadness.
Ashlyn reaches above her, lifting Molly off her shoulders with a childish "Weee!" and setting her on the ground. She looks up at Ali, who looks like she wants to say something. Ashlyn rubs at the back of her neck with her right hand, tilting her head.
Ali breaks the silence, the slight tension. "Well, it was a pleasure, 23A."
Ashlyn smiles then, her dimple appearing.
"Pleasure was all mine."
Ashlyn's not sure if it would be crazy to reach out and hug Ali, or shake her hand, and what kind of goodbye is appropriate for someone you didn't know 5 hours ago, but who now feels like someone you'll know 5 years from now?
There is silence again, and Ashlyn is still debating her next move as she reaches out for the handle of her carry-on at the same time Ali does. Their hands brush and Ashlyn doesn't miss the brunette's sharp intake of breath. Ashlyn's about to speak again when she feels a tug on her jeans.
Molly's looking up at her, chin trembling. Ashlyn kneels down.
"I had fun on the plane with you, Molly."
"Can you come to my house?"
Ashlyn looks up at Ali for guidance. She definitely wants to see them again, but has no idea how to tell a beautiful woman with a child that she didn't even know this morning that she really, really liked them — both of them — without sounding extremely forward.
Ali bends down next to them, putting her arm around Molly and speaking in a gentle voice.
"Actually, um, it's—" Ali stops, thinking, and Ashlyn's heart sinks a little as she hears the hesitation. Then she sees something flicker across Ali's gaze. Courage, maybe. Determination. She starts again.
"Molly, can you tell Ashlyn what Saturday is?"
Molly's face brightens. "It's my birthday party!"
"I bet you'd like to see Ashlyn again. Right, Molly?" She's speaking to Molly, but Ali's eyes are locked on Ashlyn's and they both know they're not really talking about the 3-year-old.
"Yes!" Molly exclaims.
The corner of Ashlyn's mouth lifts, and there's that dimple again and Ali's knees feel a little weak.
"I'd love that, too," Ashlyn says.
They go to stand, and Ali can't stop looking at Ashlyn as she reaches into her back pocket and produces her phone. She finally breaks her gaze to unlock the phone, pressing against the screen a few times before holding it out for Ashlyn, who doesn't need any further instruction as she puts her number into Ali's contacts.
Her fingers linger against Ali's as she hands the phone back. "Text me so I'll have your number," she says, adding "the sooner, the better," a little shyly.
Ali smiles, nods. Ashlyn grabs her carry-on then, holding her free hand out in the air for Molly. "High-five, kiddo?" Molly jumps up, gleefully slapping Ashlyn's hand.
"Bye, Al," Ashlyn says softly, walking backwards. "See you soon."
Ali waves, wiggling her fingers.
Ashlyn walks back to the taxi stand, waiting for a ride. Her cab hasn't even made it off airport property when she hears her phone ding. She sees a text and a picture from an unknown number. She swipes and feels like her smile will split her face in two as she sees the selfie Molly and Ali have sent her, tongues sticking out.
See you soon! ;) -23B and 23C