Ashley watched Jessica fondly across the kitchen, shaking her head a little as she watched her hips sway to the music playing quietly in the background. How had she gotten so lucky as to fall in love with the cute blonde that had been randomly assigned as her dorm mate in their freshman year? Now here they were four years later, a week after they had won the Worlds with their weird acapella family and they now found themselves in their brand new apartment in New York.
It was perfect. Two bedrooms, a huge kitchen for her baking loving girlfriend, and a working fireplace in the living room perfect for cosying up together once the weather had gotten cold. Ashley couldn't wait for the months to get colder (not that she needed an excuse to cuddle up with Jessica). This was all she wanted for the rest of her life and there was only one thing missing to ensure that that happened.
Ashley had it all planned out. Tomorrow when Jessica was at work she would make them a really nice dinner, light enough candles to put the Bellas initiation ceremony to shame, strew the place with daisies (Jessica's favourite) and then she'd be waiting down on one knee as Jessica came through the door. That was the plan anyway.
The reality? Far different. Somehow, the entirety of New York city was daisy-less (seriously?! What were the odds of that?!), she had only been able to find three electric candles that just did not have the same vibe as actual candles, and for some reason the hob on their brand new oven wasn't working so Ashley couldn't even cook! By the time her girlfriend was due home, Ashley was in the least romantic mood of her life but she was still determined to go through with it. All the extra bits be damned, she still had the ring and the perfect girl, the rest of it was arbitrary.
Ashley opened the ring box as she sat at the kitchen island, nerves making her chest pound as she looked down at the diamond ring. This was perhaps the most nervous she had ever been, and she had competed in the ICCAs with Aubrey Posen who would skin her alive for the slightest mistake. But she was also excited. This was the beginning of a whole new chapter for them, the beginning of the rest of their lives.
She had been so lost in thought that the sound of the door opening made her jump, and as she did the ring flew from the box and clattered to the floor. Ashley swore loudly and got to the floor on her hands and knees under the counter as she tried to find it, the ring box discarded in her haste.
"C'mon you son of a bitch, where are you?" She growled. Today was not going her way at all.
"Babe?"
Jessica's voice made Ashley jump once more, ring in her hand as her head jolted up and smashed into the corner of the marble unit.
"Ah FUCK!" Ashley clutched at the back of her head, pain exploding behind her eyes as she hissed.
"Oh my god! Ash are you okay?!" Jessica put her hand on her girlfriend's shoulder as she gently coaxed her out from under the kitchen island, worry etched into her face.
"Yeah I'm great." Ashley groaned softly as she pulled her hand away to see blood on her fingers.
"Let me see." Jessica carefully moved the hair on Ashley's head so she could see the point where the blood was coming from, "Oh honey we need to get you to the ER, that's going to need stitches…"
"Oh come on!" Ashley groaned again, shaking her head a little and then instantly regretting it as it throbbed, "This is so not my day."
Jessica giggled softly despite the worry that was coursing through her at the sight of her girlfriend's bleeding head. She gently pressed a clean tea towel to the wound, smiling sympathetically as Ashley hissed in pain.
"I know baby, that must really hurt. Can you stand?"
"Only one way to find out…" Ashley mumbled, pushing herself to her feet as Jessica kept the tea towel in place.
She was a little shaky on her feet but Ashley was able to stand without issue (although she was a little dizzy). Stowing the recovered engagement ring quickly into her pocket she let Jessica lead her to the car and they set off for the Emergency Room.
This really wasn't going to plan.
Ashley was sat on the edge of the hospital gurney as she waited for the nurse to come and stich her head. Her head CT had come back clear, and with only the mildest concussion Ashley had been told she was lucky to have only minor injuries.
"I don't feel lucky." She had grumbled in response as her head throbbed again, "I feel like I have a dint in the back of my head!"
The nurse had laughed and subtly pressed the engagement ring back into Ashley's hand (she had been holding onto it for her whilst she had her CT because apparently the whole machine was one giant magnet, and Ashley'd had a difficult enough day without accidentally destroying a few thousand dollars of hospital equipment as well), promising to be back soon with the suture kit and some "really good painkillers".
Ashley sighed heavily as she looked up at Jessica, a sad smile on her face, "This was so not how I saw today going…"
"You mean you didn't plan to smack your head off the underside of our marble kitchen counter?" Jessica feigned surprised as Ashley rolled her eyes with a wince. Great, it hurt even to do that.
"I had this big plan and none of it worked out." Ashley mumbled, fingers tracing the engagement ring in her palm, "Some days you're the only thing in my life that is right, that does make sense…"
Jessica's expression softened as she carefully cupped Ashley's cheek in one hand, not wanting to jar her sore head. Ashley smiled at her, a sense of determination setting in. Fuck it. She was doing this now.
"Jess… I had this big plan and none of it worked out, but before they give me the good drugs and I get all sleepy, there's something I want to do."
Jessica frowned a little in confused bemusement as Ashley shifted the ring in her hand she was holding it for Jessica to see.
"I did not plan to propose in an ER whilst waiting for someone to stitch my head back up, but honestly I don't want to go another day without knowing that you are going to be by my side for the rest of our lives. Will you marry me Jess?"
Ashley was grinning as Jessica's eyes clouded with emotion, her eyes falling on the ring. When they did, her eyes bulged and she gasped loudly, looking up at Ashley with an expression her girlfriend couldn't read.
"No freaking way…" Jessica whispered, shoving her hand in her pocket.
"What?!" Ashley could feel her heart pounding in her chest, "Y-you don't want to marry me?!"
"No, no!" Jessica added quickly, pulling an oddly familiar red box from her pocket and opening it, giggling as Ashley's jaw dropped when she saw the exact same ring, "I do, I just can't believe we bought the same ring…"
"Oh my god." Ashley shook her head a little, ignoring the pain as she looked up at Jessica again, "Are the Bellas right, are we creepily in sync?"
"No." Jessica shook her head as a couple of tears made her way down her beaming face, "We're just soulmates."
"I like that." Ashley grinned, "Soulmates."
"So… will you marry me Ashley Jones?" Jessica held out the ring to Ashley who quirked her eyebrow.
"Uh, I think I asked you first!"
"Yes. Yes I will marry you." Jessica giggled, holding out her left hand so that Ashley could slide the ring onto her finger, "Now you."
"Yeah weirdo. I'll marry you." Ashley bit her lip a little to hold back the tears that threatened to consume her as Jessica slid her ring onto her finger.
"Is that why you were under the kitchen island when I got home? Because you'd dropped the ring?" Jessica asked, nothing but love and amusement in her tone.
"Yeah… I jumped when I heard the door open and it went flying." Ashley chuckled, "It's been a disaster trying to create the perfect proposal for you…"
"All I needed was you to ask me that four word question." Jessica pressed a soft kiss to Ashley's lips, "None of the rest of it matters to me. I just want to spend the rest of my life with you."
"I wish you'd told me that sooner, it would have saved us a trip to the ER…" Ashley grumbled humorously as Jessica rolled her eyes heavily.
"I love you, you idiot." She mumbled, kissing Ashley again.
"I love you too."