The new Holiday Spirit update is on the way, I promise. It's in a very grueling editing process. In the meantime, here's another one-shot from EC week awhile back.
"Hold the elevator!" someone yelled as a hand suddenly shot between the doors, and David sighed when he recognized the voice. Sure enough, Regina stepped inside a moment later.
David had only been living in the building for six months, but it hadn't taken him much time to notice the woman currently occupying the same space. She was gorgeous, confident, intelligent, and successful, and apparently on a schedule similar to his own, as they always seemed to be leaving and arriving at the same time. He'd introduced himself and she'd completely blown him off. It didn't take much longer for him to give up trying to talk to her all together – she was obviously not interested. It didn't stop her from going out of her way to insult him whenever they happened to occupy the same elevator, however, whether it be his clothes, him needing a haircut, or a flippant comment about something in his grocery bag. It was clear she didn't like him, and it hadn't taken long for the feeling to become mutual.
They'd begun to make an effort not to run into each other. He was even coming home an hour later than usual, which is why he couldn't help the comment that slipped out as the doors slid shut behind her and they were left alone. "In a hurry? I can't imagine why else you'd stoop to riding in the same car as me."
She shot him an icy glare. "I am, not that it's any business of yours."
They pushed the buttons for their respective floors and the ride began in a heavy silence. He could feel her glare, and he was preparing himself to say something when the elevator jerked all of the sudden, lights flickering before it came to a halt.
"What the…" David waited a moment to see if the doors would open, and when they didn't, he reached for the control panel, hitting the open/close button a few times.
That didn't work either, and he waited for the inevitable biting comment from his companion about repeatedly attempting something that wasn't working, or about being trapped with him, but it didn't come.
He turned to find her pressed tightly against the wall, face pale and knuckles white where she was gripping the railing behind her with both hands.
"Are you alright?" he asked.
"No," she hissed, and right, that had been a dumb question.
"It's going to be okay," he told her. "I'm going to call down and find out what's going on – let them know we're stuck here."
She nodded and he turned back to the panel. It only took a minute for him to let someone know what had happened. They told him they were calling someone as they spoke, and that it might be a little while, but they were on their way. Looking over to where Regina had her head ducked down, trying to take deep breaths, he said, "Tell them to hurry. The person I'm with has claustrophobia, and she's not doing so well." With their assurances to do their best, he hung up and turned to face Regina.
"There's someone on the way."
She nodded quickly again and their eyes caught for a moment before she looked away. "It's not claustrophobia," she said after a moment. "I just…I don't like the feeling of being trapped."
"What can I do to help?"
"Make the elevator move again?" she asked sarcastically.
She was on edge, so he ignored the urge to bicker with her. "They're going to be working on that for us. In the meantime, is there anything I can do?" She was clearly miserable, and as much as he didn't like her, he found himself wanting to help.
She shook her head, taking another deep breath.
After a moment, he decided he couldn't simply stand by doing nothing. "What was the hurry today?" he asked. "Do you have somewhere to go tonight? Big date perhaps?" he smiled.
"Wouldn't you like to know?"
"I'm just wondering what a woman like you fills her evenings with?"
She scoffed. "Don't think I don't know what you're doing."
"Oh?"
"Distracting me from being trapped in here with you."
"Made incredibly more difficult by the fact that I'm the only person here to distract you," he pointed out. "But is it working even a little bit?"
"Depends. What do you mean by 'a woman like you'?"
"Only that you're obviously very successful - all the power suits, the confidence and the way you carry yourself - you're busy, hard-working from what I can tell, but you almost always make it home at the same time every day."
"Surprising. I thought for sure you'd say 'a bitch'," she said, smirking.
"Never to your face." He smiled then as she chuckled. She'd dropped her hands from the railing, he noticed, and instead, crossed them over her chest.
"So what does a man like you fill his evenings with?" she asked in return.
"I'll skip asking what you mean by that," he laughed. "Designs, mostly. I'm an architect."
She raised an eyebrow. "Living in this building? You must be at least a partial success."
"I'll try to take that as a compliment."
They filled the next forty-five minutes with an easy banter, simple questions about careers and hobbies and the like. By the end of it, they were both leaning against the walls of the elevator, relaxed and actually enjoying themselves.
It was as David was smiling easily over at her that she surprised him with, "I was in a hurry because I was running an hour late to relieve the babysitter. Not that she couldn't stay, but it's time I lose with my son."
He couldn't help the surprise that came over his face. "You have a son?"
She nodded. "I do. Henry. He's ten."
That must have been who he'd seen her texting after she'd released her death grip on the railing. "Henry...I've met him a few times getting the mail, I think. About here," he indicated height with his hand, "Sandy brown hair, lopsided smile, few freckles, adorable and insatiable curiosity?"
Regina laughed with surprise. "That sounds like him."
"Good kid," David told her.
Regina smiled warmly, her eyes lighting at the compliment to her son, and David marveled at how this beautiful woman transformed with that smile. She was heart-stoppingly gorgeous. Not only a successful businesswoman, but a successful mother as well. Someone he wanted to get to know better.
He opened his mouth to ask her if she'd agree to dinner, or even coffee, but there was a loud clang, and the elevator moved a bit. She jumped, reaching to grip his arm, and he put a hand over hers, giving it a reassuring squeeze. Then the doors slid open to reveal a few people in work clothes.
"Hey folks, sorry 'bout the wait."
Regina pulled herself away from David and stepped off the elevator, and he wasn't far behind.
"We still have a bit of work to do on this one, but the other elevator's working just fine," he said, gesturing across the hallway.
David glanced at it with slight apprehension while Regina shook her head firmly.
"Thanks," David told them, "but I think we'll take the stairs. We're just a few flights up now, anyway."
David found himself passing his floor and accompanying her up one more flight to hers. He walked her to her door and then smiled at her. "It was nice getting to know you a little," he told her sincerely. "Maybe I could have another chance? Dinner?"
"I'd like that." She laughed. "Who'd have guessed we'd ever get along?"
"I'm glad we were wrong about that. Well...goodnight, Regina."
He'd taken a few steps before she called out for him to wait, and he turned back to face her.
She looked up from the text she'd just received. "We can save our formal dinner date for another evening, but until then, would you like to join Henry and I? He's dying to ask us all sorts of questions about the elevator, and apparently he and Emma made quite the dinner to cheer us up."
He grinned. "I'd love to."
"Good." He joined her at the door, but she paused with her key in the lock. "Ready for the interrogation?"
He laughed. "I think I can handle it."