A night alone...Alex tag Ashley

[Alex Bridgerton]

Some how, some way Alex and Ashley had an actual date for a night while Kai had a sitter. Alex was not sure if Ashley hired someone or if his parents had agreed, but Ashley and Alex had a night alone. Not that it would have been bad to have Kai along, but sometimes two teenagers needed a night alone together. Especially ones still trying to reconnect. So far things had been good. Alex's father was still a threat, but he had been quiet and not in the US. He was back in the UK for now. Alex hoped he stayed there. Or so she hoped he was still in the UK.

Alex had made dinner for Ashley. Her Aunt was out of town and Alex planned a quiet night in. Dinner and movies with popcorn. That was he idea of a good date. They had been out the last few times on Ashley's dine, so for once Alex wanted to do something nice for Ashley and make him dinner and treat him to a good evening inside. There was a pool in case they decided to go swimming. Alex had bought a pair of men's swimming trunks. No need to ask how she knew his size. She remembered it from a few years ago and Ashley seemed to have gained only height and not weight.

She had made baked chicken, rice, salad and beans. She hoped Ashley liked it. She was wearing a simple blue dress. It made her look good, but not too formal. She was ready early and the food was warming up since it had been cooked. Now all she had to do was wait fro Ashley.

[Ashley Bolton]

He sat at the traffic lights music blaring out of his car stereo, his fingers tapping on the stearing wheel along to the music. He had been having a great day and as far as evenings went, there were worse ways to spend his evenings with the woman who made him crazy with love every time he looked at her. Kai was at the back of his mind and would remain there until he got home, unless he got a phone call about him.

'Not going to happen.' he thought to himself.

He turned the radio down to an acceptable level as he pulled onto Alex's street, he didnt want to give the neighbours a reason to complain about him or her for that matter. He pulled to a stop outside the house grabbed a bag from his passenger seat and climbed out of the car. He walked up to the house and rang the doorbell before standing back.

He watched the street with interest while he waited, he wondered how many people in the street were looking out of their windows to see who was blaring their music as they entered the street or who was in the street that was new to the street. He bet at least two of them were doing just that.

"Oh man I am hungry." he muttered.

[Alex Bridgerton]

"Hello to you too." Alex said in her British accent with a smile. She leaned up and gave Ashley a kiss as she pulled him inside the door and closed it behind them. "You are in luck, dinner has been served. Brits are known for their timing after all." Alex said teasingly. She had always been late before. When they dated those two years ago, Alex was always late. late to get ready, late to leave. late for almost anything. Well now she was actually on time.

Alex led Ashley to the the dining room, where a nice romantic dinner was set for two, two plates already filled with drinks poured. It was cozy and not to formal. "I figured we could at here or take the plates in front of the tele and begin a show." Alex offered. "I am for either or really." She didn't want this to seem formal cause it really wasn't.

It was a chance for her and Ashley to spend some alone time together. In each others arms feeling like a couple for one night. "I have my dress for prom and they tell me its a color called salmon, but I prefer to say pink." Alex told Ashley with a laugh. "How has your evening been?" She asked as she led him to the table. "Do you have a particular movie in mind we shall watch?" She asked him.

[Ashley Bolton]

Ashley blushed slightly at being caught by Alex, "You know that I tend to thinkl with my stomach when I'm hungry." He said grinning at Alex before placing a kiss to the girls lips. "Your a sight for sore eyes ears and head." Ashley said to Alex. "Your son was not at all happy that I was going to his mommy without him this evening. Kicking and screaming is an apt explanation of the scene I left the house in." Ashley explained. "Don't worry to much about it he gets like this if I am going out some times." Ashley said to her. "Give it enough time he'll cause blue murder when your leaving the house." Ashley said. "Then your join me in the headache it causes." Ashley said.

"What ever it is your cooking smells good." he pointed out as they entered the house.

He listened to Alex as she explained the options to him for the evening, it seemed that she had planned for everything which was probably a good thing. "I'm easy if there is something you want to watch the tv would be good if not a table would be good. And what ever movie you want to watch is cool except notebook not in to that film at all." Ashley said.

"Can I help with anything, you have two free hands here." he asked.

[Alex Bridgerton]

"I also know as long as I feed that stomach I find you much more willing to cooperate with me." Alex said smiling. Her British tone coming out playful for once. You would be surprised how hard it is for someone who is British to sound anything but playful. "Thanks for the warning, I will remember to have aspirin with me." She said smiling. "He already has a terrible time when i drop him off with you. Kid is very attached to us, especially you. It's a beautiful site to see you and Kai so attached." Alex said softly.

"Why thank you, it is a recipe my Aunt has given me and it did come out good, after two failed attempts." She laughed. "I am learning." She told him. "No Notebook, oh my god, you have to see that film. This is a challenge. I will get you to watch the Notebook one day. Unless you find a nice way to distract me." She winked as she motioned to what Ashley could help with which was the glasses and the salad and bread bowls.

"I was going to suggest Pirates of the Caribbean. I have heard great things about that movie. It might not be terribly romantic, but you know me. I always did find romance in very interesting films. Besides if we distracted that is fine by me." She took a seat on the floor by the couch and placed the plates on the coffee table. "i do have other choices as well."

[Ashley Bolton]

Ashley nodded his understanding as he took what was offered to him for taking to the table, "You know why he is like that when he leaves the house or I leave him at yours right." Ashley said to her. "Its not that he doesn't love you or doesn't want to spend time with you. I am the only parent he has known most of his life, and his young enough to not know that I will be there when he comes home or something." Ashley said to Alex. "Mum and dad take care of him during the day, but its me on my own for the night shift so when he has a bad dream or is scared, or just wants to sleep with someone else for the night. I'm the one that he comes to." Ashley said to her.

"There would have to be something in it for me in the future, to get me to sit through that film without falling asleep." Ashley said to her. "But sure I can be persuaded." he added.

"Pirates of the carribean sounds good to me, Johnny Depp can't go wrong with him unless its something really early in which case you probably can." Ashley said to Alex. "I rented my tux and the dressage thingy has been ordered so your taken care of for that night. I am under strict instructions to not book a hotel room, we are to stay at either your aunts or my parents house and in seperate rooms. I think that they are thinking that we may go for a repeat performance or something. Damn those over protective parents I could really do with my own football team of kids by the time we are twenty." Ashley said with a grin.

[Alex Bridgerton]

"Can one blame him? You are rather comfortable to sleep next to when one has a bad dream. I seem to remember making it into your bed a few times when that happened back in New York. Or was all that some ploy by you just to keep me close." Alex said with a smile as she settled down. "Kai needs his father and no one can take that away from you. You truly have been a good parent. I hope I can do that, be as good a parent as you have been." Alex had not been a good parent, so thats why she was here now. To start being one.

"The game of persuasion. For some reason I have the perfect idea of just how to persuade you to see my vantage point and I think you would like just what I am thinking." Alex winked as she giggled, "If the English only knew my thoughts right now they would claim scandal and improper." She said in her lovely British accent.

"Now is that American football or futbol." She asked meaning the British version, aka soccer. "Because as long as they are all Manchester fans I am happy." She giggled. "Well my Aunt will be out of town, so we could stay here and there for it's not breaking any rules, or we could be good kids and I shall stay at your parents house in a spare room." Alex agreed, "But it really is what ever you are most comfortable with, I would be content either or." Sure she would rather spend the night with Ashley, but she could understand his parents hesitation.