Summary: Elizabeth gets a job working at Walt Disney World, and on her first day is saved from disaster by a mysterious blonde-haired stranger. Will she find out who he is and what he really wants? A SDS/Disney modern-day AU!
A/N: Thank you so much for reading! This is a gift fic for my dear friend Cerulean Grace. She recently started her own adventure, and I've been fascinated listening to her talk about her experiences. Cerulean Grace, you are one of the best people I know, and I just pray that you like this story as much as I enjoyed dreaming it up. She is also a talented author, so if you have not checked out her work please go do so today!
This is a modern-day AU, something I have NEVER done before, so I'm nervous about this one! So please let me know what you think. I've taken quite a bit of creative license with the parks, how they operate, and the geography, so please forgive me for that. I'll be posting a new chapter on odd-numbered days, so please check back every other day for the next installment. I'm publishing the first two chapters now to get the ball rolling. Even though it's an AU, there are still moments of the anime/manga throughout the story, so see how many you can spot as you read.
I also must thank the incredibly gifted Vetur02 for designing the cover art. Please, do yourself a favor and check her out on Tumblr or Twitter. I am so grateful for your enthusiasm for this story and for sharing your gifts with me!
Chapter 1: You Must Be Elizabeth
Elizabeth's heart fluttered as she looked up at the building that was to be her new home for the next eight months. The sun was shining brightly, the air warm, and she quickly shrugged off her sweater and tied it around her waist. She could not help the small smile that crept over her face that was interrupted with a shout behind her, "Elizabeth! Are you gonna help with these bags or what!"
"Yes! Sorry!" Quickly she hurried back to the taxi where her two sisters were loading their arms up with her suitcases as their father paid the driver. Margaret smiled warmly at her while Veronica huffed as she lifted a particularly stuffed duffle bag. "What did you pack in this thing?" she muttered, and Elizabeth blushed and caught the strap to sling it over her own shoulders.
"A little bit of everything," she answered. Once they all had the bags and cases under their arms, Elizabeth led them up the steps, using the keys she had been sent to open the front door. She checked the envelope they came in for the apartment number-2B-and then the girls took the stairs as their father waited for the elevator. "I wonder if your roommates will be here," Veronica said excitedly, but Elizabeth did not answer, her stomach doing a bit of a flip at the idea. Meeting new people always made the girl nervous.
Her door was the first on the right at the top of the stairs, and with slightly trembling fingers she opened the front door. For a moment she bit her lip, wondering if she should have knocked first; but there was no need, because when the door swung open it was deserted. They walked through the small living room to the kitchen and dining area, Veronica groaning as she dropped her bags on the carpet. "Hello?" Elizabeth called cautiously, but there was no answer.
"Do you know which room is yours, Ellie?" Margaret asked, and Elizabeth shook her head. Just past the kitchen, the hallway split into two bedrooms, each with a bathroom attached. The bedrooms were set up for two roommates, and when she peeked inside each, both already had one occupant, based on the bedding and the items in the room. But which girl was she supposed to be with?
She dropped her things and walked back to the living room, where her father and Veronica sat together on the couch, her sister already making herself at home as she flipped through channels on the television. Margaret was in the kitchen unpacking a bag of groceries, so Elizabeth decided to join her. "I guess I'll just have to wait," Elizabeth said, opening a cabinet and sliding a box of cereal inside.
"That's no problem," Margaret said. "We aren't leaving until much later anyway. There's plenty to do to get you settled until then."
Elizabeth looked uneasily to the side, where her father and sister were laughing over a commercial. "I'm not sure dad wants me to be settled so easily."
"Don't worry about him," the older girl reassured her. "Once the semester starts he'll have enough on his mind."
Elizabeth sighed and nodded. Her father was the president at Liones University, where Elizabeth had just completed her sophomore year. Margaret and Veronica had already graduated years before, and now she was supposed to round out the trio, his pride and joy, as he called it. Once Elizabeth declared her major, she would be on her way to getting her degree and either heading to graduate school, like Veronica, or into a prestigious internship, like Margaret. Everything was laid out carefully, perfectly, and all Elizabeth needed to do was follow the plan.
The only problem was… Elizabeth. She had no idea what to choose a major. She had no idea what she wanted to do or be or sell or create or anything. Her father had sent her to every career service and counselor to take every quiz and test out there, but to no avail. Nothing seemed to fit the girl perfectly, and with the deadline to declare rapidly approaching, Elizabeth began to panic.
Then Walt Disney World came to do recruiting on campus, and Elizabeth was immediately drawn to the idea of working there. Her father had balked of course-no daughter of his was taking an entire semester off of college to sell Mickey Mouse balloons! But she pointed out all the classes she'd get to take, the money she'd save up, the connections she'd make, and slowly she won her father over.
Now, here she was, her own apartment, her own job, her own life. If only it wasn't all so nerve-wracking.
"It's so nice to meet you! And your family is so cute!" she squealed.
"Thanks," Elizabeth said, laughing. "I'm sorry, I don't-"
"Of course! I'm Diane. You're rooming with me." The girl grinned and looked around. "Did you find our room?"
"I wasn't sure which one," Elizabeth answered, but Diane was already walking, lifting all the bags up and carrying them on her shoulders.
"Damn she is strong," Veronica laughed, and Elizabeth smiled weakly and followed.
The rest of the afternoon was spent unpacking, hanging, folding, and moving everything into its place. Diane helped a great deal, chatting nonstop the entire time about training and the other people in the buildings and which bathrooms were the best. Margaret and Veronica seemed to be instant friends with her, but although she was very friendly and funny, Elizabeth was still very nervous.
Her father took them out for one last dinner, and Diane got an invite which of course she accepted. They found an Italian restaurant nearby, Elizabeth's favorite, and Diane asked them a million questions about their family, which luckily Margaret and Veronica and even Baltra were happy to answer. Elizabeth didn't say much of anything the entire night, until they were back at her apartment building, ready to say their goodbyes.
Veronica gave her a fierce hug, and Margaret kissed her cheek and promised to text her when their plane landed. Then Elizabeth had to face her father, and there was funny scratching in the back of her throat. But when she wrapped her arms around him, and he hugged her back, Elizabeth felt hot tears pricking her eyes and her lip beginning to tremble.
"You don't have to stay," Baltra whispered to her.
"Yes, I do," she answered, determined to sound firm.
He kissed her forehead. "All right then, but the second you want to come home, just call me. You can still register for classes without a penalty for at least a month."
Elizabeth rolled her eyes, and he laughed. "I love you, Elizabeth. Take care now."
"I love you too, dad," she whispered. She stood on the step and watched them get back into a taxi, laughing when Veronica rolled down the window and screamed, "Bye Elizabeth! You'll do awesome!"
It was a long, slow walk back to her apartment, and she was still wiping her damp cheeks when she let herself into the front door. Diane was sprawled on the couch, watching Entertainment Tonight. "Hey, your family is great!" she proclaimed.
"Yeah, they are," she said softly, swallowing back a fresh round of tears.
Diane frowned. "Are you okay?"
Elizabeth started to say yes, but the second she opened her mouth, a sob escaped, followed by another, then another, until Diane was scrambling up to catch the bawling girl in a tight hug. Diane pulled her over to the kitchen and pushed her into a stool while grabbing a box of tissues. "I'm sorry," Elizabeth hiccuped. "I'm not usually like this."
"Hey, it's okay," Diane said, rubbing her back. "Everyone cries the first night. But don't worry, I'm here for you."
"Thanks, Diane," responded Elizabeth in a tiny voice.
The brunette winked and then stood back. "Now, this is going to be an important moment in our relationship. The thing that will determine if we are to be Disney sisters forever, or that girl I had to share space with but I can't remember her name."
"Uh, okay?" Elizabeth squeaked.
Gravely, Diane dropped her chin, her eyes serious on Elizabeth's widening ones. "Do you… want to… order pizza?"
Laughing, Elizabeth nodded. Diane slung an arm around her shoulders and said, "See? I knew I liked you."
