A/N: So this started as Para and then I got a review from Lt. Alicia Washington (no joke! I did!) so I made a Mini-Cinderella fiction because I had three hours to kill before my flight home. Yay! for airport wifi. Obviously this is a younger Alicia Washington thus she won't be the woman we all know and love in the series.. so expect a little OC-ishness. Please Enjoy! Also if anyone has suggestions that they don't mind sharing please message me or send a review! I will give kudos
Sometimes I miss the old days...
Year 2132; VA Puget Sound Hospital, Seattle Dome
Alicia was bored out of her mind, laying in a hospital bed feeling like she had a gut full of broken glass. Her unit had been deployed on war games without her. If that wasn't bad enough, she would have to front up to Commander Taylor eventually and apologise for spewing blood on his boots and passing out into his arms. The whole event was mortifying but in the end her fault as she should have gone to medical days ago when the fever and pain started. But no, she just told herself it was nothing. There was a good reason why people with medical degrees made the worst patients.
And now she was paying for it with a couple weeks of bed rest and pure torture of wondering what nicknames she was going to be tagged with when she was back on full duty and if she would be able to look Taylor in the eyes again.
So when Ayani Taylor showed up at her door during visitor's hours with a large rectangular flat box. Alicia welcomed the distraction.
"Hey Soldier girl. How are you?" Ayani asked in a teasing manner, smiling that infectious smile of hers.
"I'm doing well and yourself?" Alicia asked as she pushed herself up so she was sitting up in the bed.
"doing great" Ayani said.
"How's Lucas?" Alicia asked as she ran a hand through her hair feeling self conscious as Ayani was looking effortlessly beautiful.
"Also going good. Nathaniel told me that you-" Ayani started but Alicia cut her off as a light blush graced her cheeks.
"Yeah, please don't remind me" Alicia chagrined; Ayani gave a laugh that was almost musical in nature as she stepped forward and held the box out to Alicia.
"Ok, well here I brought you something to cheer you up" Ayani said looking to the box with an excited smile.
"You didn't have to-" Alicia started as she didn't want to be shown favouritism.
"Oh I did, this is more for me than you" Ayani said as Alicia took the box from her and placed on the bed in front of her.
"Ok" Alicia said carefully as she lifted the lid slowly off the box and placed it to the side before she lifted the crumpled tissue paper out of the way to reveal a carefully folded up evening gown.
"Oh wow, this must have cost you a bundle" Alicia breathed as she touched the beautifully embroided fabric of the dress with reverence. She had never expected to be gifted something so beautiful from Ayani Taylor and wondered what exactly the woman would get out of giving her something so beautiful.
"Nonsense, I recycled two dresses my sister grew out of and she was going to throw out anyway. So I made something special for you" Ayani told her, Ayani was an expert seamstress and used to be a costume designer before she met Commander Taylor and then she became a full time housewife who was perfect at everything or so Alicia imagined as she had yet to see Ayani put a foot wrong. In fact if she could amalgamate Commander Taylor and Alicia into one being that would be the person she wanted to be. The best of both worlds, in Alicia's opinion. Or perhaps she needed to find a partner who could allow her to be a soldier but also a woman without Alicia feeling like it was a weakness. It seemed like this odd balancing act she had to play.
"And since the Military Ball is next week and I want you to wear it" Ayani told her, Alicia felt the other shoe drop. She looked to Ayani and cringed as she was barely earning the respect of the soldiers around her thanks to her young age and she knew putting on a dress to the Military ball would add fuel to a fire she sure was already brewing. It also had to smack of favouritism as Ayani gave her the dress and she was Taylor's wife.
Ayani narrowed her eyes at Alicia and Alicia knew the woman was going to be stubborn and as she was Alicia's C/O's wife, it put Alicia in a tight spot. Ayani shook her head and waved a finger at her. Alicia learned you should never tick off your commander's wife as it never ended well and she also didn't want to get on Ayani's bad side as she genuinely liked the woman but then she couldn't imagine Ayani having any enemies. Everybody loved her.
They had met at a few previous functions when Alicia had been transferred into Taylor's command. Ayani had been very welcoming and they had chatted several times but only as acquaintances. So recieving such a gift was extremely off putting as it was touching as Alicia didn't believe she deserved it.
"Don't give me that look. I had to listen to all the gory details of how you threw up on my husband's boots and passed out. He thinks you may have aged him about 5 years with that 'moment'. So you're going to wear this dress and I am going to enjoy watching the jaws drop in the room when you show up all dressed to the nines reminding them you're a beautiful woman as well as a kick ass soldier." Ayani told her. Alicia made a face as Ayani made it sound like she was a superhero when she most definitely was not.
"What if it doesn't fit?" Alicia asked.
"I've measured enough women over the years to know their measurements by just looking at them" Ayani continued and rattled off Alicia's measurements. Alicia waved her hands to make Ayani stop and saw the woman was already smug with victory.
"Ok, ok it will fit" Alicia admitted a little mortified being told her own measurements down to bra cup size by Ayani. The woman was scary when she wanted to be.
"I know it will and you'll wear it" Ayani said smugly.
"Fine, I'll wear it. Thank you" Alicia said as she caved to Ayani. She was too tired, too sick to argue and felt it was best to just accept that she was wearing the dress and Ayani was making Alicia her pet project. Ayani smiled.
"You're welcome, I know your father General Washington is escorting you to the Ball. So I was thinking that I could help you with your hair and makeup" Ayani said with a brilliant smile as she reached out and lifted one of the long strands of Alicia's hair and played with it for a moment. Alicia really needed to get a hair cut as it was down to her waist but she just hadn't found the time.
"You don't trust me to do my hair and make up?" Alicia asked in a mocking fashion.
"Not even the slightest. I can't have you sabotaging my fun" Ayani replied innocently and they both laughed as it was true. The only make up she used was a tinted sunscreen and concealer for the odd spot. Otherwise she was baffled by cosmetics and how to use them to 'beautify' herself so she steered clear of them. She'd rather look clean and well kept than have it look like someone shot her in the face with a make up gun set to 'whore'.
"So you want to see the dress?" Ayani asked looking to Alicia. Alicia looked down at the folded dress in the box wondering if she was tempting fate. She was half afraid of the fantasies playing in her mind of wearing a beautiful dress and being a glamourous woman than her usual no nonsense practical look. The idea was scary and interesting rolled into one.