One

Chapter 24

"We should fight more often," Stephen quipped with a breathy voice. A dopey smile was on his face as he caressed Ali's back. "I like the making out part of the making up process."

"We can do the making out part without the fighting part." Ali replied. "Anyway, I was looking for you a while ago because I wanted to extend an invitation from my parents to you."

"Really? That's awesome. I'd love to join you guys."

"Good. My parents will be happy to hear that." She pressed her lips against Stephen's for a quick kiss. "Okay, back to work, you. They're probably looking for you now."

Stephen groaned. "Can we just hide in my dressing room and, you know, continue this make up session?"

"Noooo, we can't do that, cutie. We're professionals, remember?"

"Ew, professionalism," he stuck his tongue out. "I guess I'll go first so no one notices we were together. See you later, alright?"

"Yep, see you later." Ali pecked his cheek.

As he walked past her to get to the door, Ali smacked his bottom. "Oi! I'm not just a piece of meat you can smack around whenever you want to, you know," he joked.

"Shut up, you." Ali laughed. "Now, go."

With a swing of his hips, Stephen disappeared through the stairwell door. Ali waited a minute or so before going out.

In the hallway, Ali immediately ran into Lisa. "Really, in the stairwell?" Lisa said.

"What are you talking about?" Ali said, acting as if she doesn't know what Lisa's alluding to.

"I just walked by Stephen a while ago. I can piece together what probably happened in that stairwell."

Ali's cheeks reddened. "We were just talking."

"Sure," Lisa looked at Ali knowingly. "Anyway, I need to talk to you." She pulled the taller woman back into the stairwell she just left.

"What's up, Lise?" Ali could tell that their conversation was about to take a serious turn.

"It's about Dec."

Ali was taken aback. "Oh, okay."

"Look, I know I told you to have fun with this whole dating thing, but I think it's time to choose between the two of them."

"What made you change your opinion on this?" Ali frowned.

"Just this morning, I saw again how much this whole thing is taking a toll on Dec. He was really down. Then just a few minutes ago, I saw him coming from this way, looking like he's been trampled on again. He's really hurting, Ali."

Ali slowly blinked as she digested what Lisa just revealed.

Lisa reached over to Ali and stroked her arm. "Al, I'm not telling you to pick Dec. All I'm saying is that you should end whoever's misery and choose someone already. Don't let them keep waiting for you and get hurt any further. End it now. Choose the man you think that will make you happy, the one who will love you. Remember that, Ali."

Lisa gave Ali's arm another squeeze before leaving her alone in the stairwell. Ali stayed there for a few minutes to have a think. Having made her decision, she left the stairwell and continued with her day with the weight of her decision bearing on her shoulders.

------
She walked back to the studio and immediately came face to face with Dec.

"Oh, hey Al," Dec smiled. But this smile was different, Ali noticed. It didn't reach his eyes like it normally did.

"Hey, Dec."

The pair stood there, just looking at each other. Ali opened her mouth to say something, but Chris, the show's director, called Dec back on stage.

"I guess what I'll have to say can wait later."

Dec nodded. "Alright."

Later never came. The two became too busy to have a chat. Dec became swamped with last minute script changes, while the time for Ali to leave for her parents' dinner came. She left the studio with Stephen and went with him to his house, so that he can freshen up since he's been up and about the studio all day.

As they entered Stephen's house, Ali thought about talking to him about her decision on the whole dating situation, but decided against it at the last second. Instead, she asked Stephen about his leg. "So...your leg's fine?"

Stephen looked at Ali weirdly and then chuckled. "Haha, yes. You've seen me walking around all day, Al. I think it's pretty clear it's fine now."

"I'm just checking."

"Here, let me prove it to you." Stephen swept Ali off her feet, bridal style and carried her upstairs. He continued to carry her into his bedroom and he gently laid her down on his bed. He got on top of Ali and started to attack her neck with kisses.

Ali giggled. "Stephen, you're supposed to be taking a shower."

Stephen groaned. "Do I have to? Can we just do this instead?"

"No, come on. We don't want to be late to the dinner."

Stephen sighs. "Fine." He got off her, pulling her up to a sitting position. He then stood in front of her and started to disrobe until he was only wearing his boxers. "Are you sure I can't entice you to a quickie?" In an attempt to convince her more, Stephen started to swivel his hips "seductively" for Ali.

"No, I think I'll pass," Ali smiled. "I just want you to get in the shower and get ready."

"Alright, boss." He went to do as he was told, but not before stealing a kiss and saying with a wink, "I'll be thinking of you in the shower."

She laughed to herself as Stephen disappeared in the adjoining bathroom. Ali got comfortable in Stephen's bed and enjoyed the ambiance the room had. There wasn't any special decorations in Stephen's room that made the atmosphere special; just being there felt comfortable to her. She buried her head against Stephen's pillow and let his scent surround her. That and Stephen's out-of-tune singing that she can hear over the shower soothed her to sleep.

Her short nap was cut short when she felt Stephen lightly caressing her cheeks, coaxing her to open her eyes. "There's those blue eyes I love," Stephen says softly.

Ali sits up in bed, all while looking Stephen up and down. Stephen was wearing a blue button-up shirt, which accentuated the colors of his eyes, that was tucked into a pair of black jeans. "I must have dozed off."

"Yeah, just for a little bit." He stood up and held out his hand to Ali. "Come on, we gotta go sleepyhead. We've got a dinner to go to and I've got parents to impress."

Ali took his hand and got off the bed. "Oh, do you?" Ali asked, eyebrow quirked.

Stephen nodded his head. "I have to make a good impression."

"Well, you don't have to try that hard," Ali said as she smoothed his shirt. "Just be yourself and they'll love you," she finished off with a kiss.

With that, the two were out of the door. They headed for Ali's house, where -they don't know it yet- they'll be spending an evening being questioned by her parents.