Jessica stepped off the plane and onto the tarmac at Charles De Gaulle airport with an ache in her feet from standing in high heels all day, and an ache in her head from dealing with needy, insulting passengers all day. She longed for nothing more than to strip out of her painful shoes, her tight skirt and her restrictive corset and lay in a warm bath for the next 24 hours, but as she changed back into her sleek black dress to head home, she knew that wasn't an option.

As sore and tired as Jessica was, however, she was also elated. Not just because of the five days off she had coming up, not just because Paige also had the same five days off, and not just because of the party she had waiting for her at her apartment.

"That was it!" Rachel, Jessica's English supervisor, cheered as she stripped out of her own blue uniform. "Final flight in probation... You are now officially a full-time Soixante-Trois stewardess! How does it feel?"

"It feels GOOD," Jessica said. "Can't wait to start taking on more responsibilities!"

"Heh, most people just look forward to the party!" Rachel retorted.

"Oh, I can't wait for that either!" Jessica giggled.

"Is that because you like dressing up as a princess," Rachel teased, "or because a certain dark-haired Scottish colleague of ours will also be there?"

"I don't know what you could possibly mean," Jessica retorted with a sly grin.

"Oh, you know as long as you keep 'it' off company property, the big bosses don't have a problem with employees, you know, 'doing it'," Rachel said. "And you've been pining for Paige all week..."

"I was not 'pining'," Jessica argued as she exchanged her blue work shoes for her own black designer stilettos. "It's just- I barely get to see her, what with her flying back and forth to Moscow most days... Most days when I'm NOT at work, too..."

"Aww," Rachel cooed. "And you make such a cute couple, too..."

"Is this the 'special relationship' between Scotland and the USA we're talking about?" Natalie interjected in her distinctive Manchester accent.

"Ah, if it isn't the sarky Salforder," Rachel teased. "I wondered where you'd got to..."

"First, it's Openshaw, not Salford," Natalie retorted as she slid her supple body out of her uniform and into her black pencil dress. "Second, if you must know, I was submitting my mentor application."

"Oh my god, that's so cool!" Jessica cooed. "Reckon you'll get it? Which route did you apply for as your secondary?"

"Red," Natalie said with a grin. "Figure I could get a nice tan for Christmas..."

"As long as you don't mind going back home to Coronation Street with bikini tan lines!" Rachel teased.

"Oh whatever," Natalie snorted. "I once went back there in full femme mode and stayed that way for four whole days, and no one batted an eyelid. They know who I am, and they know that if they don't accept me, that's their problem."

"What happened at the end of the four days?" Jessica asked.

"I came back to Paris," Natalie replied with a cheeky smile. "Now come on, Cinderella, your ball awaits!" Jessica giggled happily as she followed Natalie onto the tram and back to their fancy uptown apartment. There, they stripped down to their underwear and helped each other into the elaborate costumes that had been provided for them.

"Why are we having THIS theme for the party again?" Jessica asked as she stepped into the long, flowing blue dress and pulled on the matching opera length gloves.

"You're an American living in Paris, this is something else that's American and living in Paris," Natalie explained as Jessica helped her into her voluminous golden dress. "Can you pass me my wig?"

"Your real hair's long enough, surely?" Jessica asked.

"Not even close," Natalie replied, scraping her natural, shoulder-length brown curls back before pulling on the long brown wig. Natalie promptly returned the favour for Jessica, placing the long blonde wig (which had been pre-tied into a formal updo) on her head and securing the blue headband on Jessica's head.

"Beautiful," Natalie gushed as Jessica gently adjusted the hairpiece. "Though you could probably do with showing off a bit more of your tits." Natalie giggled as Jessica blew a very un-princess like raspberry at her, before exchanging her ostentatious dangly earrings for a more elegant fake gold pair.

"Well?" Natalie asked, posing for Jessica and playfully swishing the petticoats of her dress. "Am I, or am I not, the Belle of the ball?"

"A true British princess," Jessica cooed. "Though you could probably do with showing off a bit more of your tits." Natalie giggled as she briefly pulled down the top of her dress, exposing more of her décolletage.

"Who's Elsa coming as again?" Jessica enquired as she pulled on her uncomfortable high-heeled glass shoes.

"You need to ask?" Natalie joked. "Let it go, let it go..."

"Well, the name fits, if nothing else," Jessica laughed as she touched up her make-up one final time. "Ready, Princess Belle?"

"Ready and willing, Princess Cinderella!" Natalie replied, grabbing Jessica's gloved hand and leading the girl into the already bustling living area.

"Presenting Princess Cinderella!" Natalie announced in her poshest British accent as Jessica swished around the room to awed sighs and loud applause.

"No question who will have all the eyes of the princes on them tonight," Elsa- who was indeed wearing the costume of her namesake- joked.

"Though I'm betting it's one of the other princesses she'd prefer!" Zoe, who was wearing a red wig and an Ariel costume, laughed.

"You really didn't need to go to so much trouble," Jessica said to Elsa, who responded by giving the American girl a quick hug.

"Of COURSE I did!" Elsa laughed. "You're out of probation! You're one of us now!"

"You should've seen the party she threw me," Natalie laughed. "I've still got the 'rock chick' costume- denim shorts, fishnet tights, a corset-style top..."

"And about half a ton of make-up," Elsa teased, making both girls giggle happily. "Disney princesses are much more elegant, much more civilised."

"Are you arguing that Jessica is more civilised than I am?" Natalie pouted with her hands on her constrained waist.

"Are you arguing that she's NOT?" Elsa retorted, making herself, Natalie and Jessica giggle again.

"Do I need to ask what MY theme will be when I pass probation?" Zoe asked.

"You need not ask," Elsa laughed. "There's a reason I skipped that theme for your birthday last month!"

"I'd best get my tutu ordered, then," Jessica teased, earning giggles from all of her friends.

"I bet when you first became a 'flight attendant'," Natalie said, using her fingers to make air-quotes, "you never thought you'd be celebrating working for a company this way!"

"I never EVER thought I'd wear anything like this in any social setting EVER," Jessica laughed, playing with her swishy skirt.

"Also," a familiar Scottish voice teased from behind Jessica, "I bet you never thought you'd catch the eye of ANOTHER princess?" Her heart beating faster, Jessica turned around to face Paige, who was dressed in a flawless Snow White costume that perfectly matched her jet black hair and pale skin.

"Especially not the most beautiful princess here," Jessica said, wrapping her arms around Paige's neck and giving her a long, heartfelt kiss.

"I would say 'get a room', but knowing you two, you probably would!" Natalie teased.

"It's been nine days since we last so much as saw each other," Paige retorted. "Give me a break!"

"Ah yes, and how is Mother Russia?" Natalie asked.

"COLD," Paige moaned, cuddling herself closer to Jessica. "Wondering why I put in for Black route now..."

"Well, you're out of probation now, ask for a transfer," Natalie said matter-of-factly.

"With Blue route already oversubscribed?" Paige sighed. "Fat chance of that happening..."

"If you don't ask, you don't get..." Elsa teased as she made her way to the refreshments table.

For the next four hours all the princesses in the apartment laughed, drank and danced the night away. Jessica and Paige delighted everyone in the room by waltzing together to 'A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes', ending with another long, deep kiss.

That night, Jessica and Paige engaged in a marathon lovemaking session, and when they were exhausted of all their energy, they fell asleep in each other's arms, sharing the sole pillow on Jessica's single bed. The following morning, when they woke up, neither girl wanted to let the other one go.

"Morning, Jess," Paige whispered, kissing Jessica underneath her ear.

"Morning, Paige," Jessica mumbled, giving Paige a long kiss on her lips. "So... What do you want to do today?"

"Stay in bed," Paige giggled, giving Jessica yet another kiss.

"Ugh, wish I could," Jessica moaned. "Promised my parents I'd call them today..."

"Yeah, but we're what, six hours ahead?" Paige argued. "They won't get up for ages, so nor should we..."

"I know, it's just-" Jessica sighed. "We've only got these five days, we shouldn't waste them..."

"Sex with you isn't what I'd call a waste of time!" Paige retorted, cuddling Jessica closer.

"Oh, I agree wholeheartedly," Jessica said, "It’s just-" Jessica's word were interrupted when her bedroom door opened and Natalie poked her immaculately made-up face around the door, causing the American girl to panic and push Paige's head underneath the bedcovers.

"Jess?" Natalie asked as the American girl feigned waking up. "I'm off now, Dublin's not going to fly to itself."

"Mmph," Jessica moaned tiredly. "See you, Natalie..."

"See you, Jessica," Natalie said with a cheeky grin. "See you too Paige, no need to respond, I can tell you've got your mouth full!" Natalie laughed heartily as she closed the bedroom door just in time to avoid the pillow Jessica threw at her.

"I could, you know, 'fill my mouth' if you wanted," Paige teased, greedily kissing Jessica's neck.

"I think I've actually maxed out," Jessica laughed. "And that was our only pillow..."

"I don't want to get up..." Paige moaned, tightening her cuddle around Jessica's body.

"Tell you what," Jessica giggled, "How about I 'fill my mouth', then we get up?" Paige grinned a wicked grin as Jessica ducked her head under the covers.

"Deal..." Paige laughed as the covers around her waist began to twitch...

After getting up, the two girls showered separately before applying their make-up and dressing for the day, Jessica opting for a grey sweater dress with a wide belt, whilst Paige plumped for a knee-length pencil skirt and a tight red jumper. Both girls also wore black tights, to defend their hairless legs from the cold November air.

"Hello, Miss Black Nylons," Jessica giggled, stroking Paige's legs as the Scottish girl crashed next to her on the sofa. "So, to repeat my earlier question... What do you want to do today?"

"Honestly?" Paige sighed. "Today, if I wasn't with you... I'd have had a day as Paul." Jessica smiled sadly as her girlfriend continued talking.

"Ever since I moved to France," Paige continued, "I haven't had a single 24 hour period in which I HAVEN'T been in 'Paige mode'."

"I know, I'm the same," Jessica sighed. "I mean, there have been times when I've wanted to, but I've also been at work, so it's either put up with a thong in my ass and a corset around my waist or get fired..."

"Or wear a bodysuit and a half-slip," Paige giggled. "I mean yes, obviously I love all this. Living, working as Paige... It's an absolute dream come true, but... I kinda want to wake up."

"You never thought about transitioning?" Jessica asked. "Taking hormones, going legally female?"

"All the time," Paige sighed. "But I know it's a one-way street, and... I'm a coward, Jess. I don't want to go down it just yet."

"I know EXACTLY how you feel," Jessica sighed. "When I was fifteen, if you've given me a pill and said 'take this, it'll turn you into a girl', I'd have swallowed it without hesitation, but now... It's a really, REALLY big step."

"You know Hiromi, my room-mate?" Paige asked Jessica, who nodded in response. "She started oestrogen last month. She hasn't been in boy mode in MONTHS, don't think she even owns any boy clothes anymore."

"I would say 'I envy her'," Jessica said, "but I know that if I wanted, I could take that first step any time I wanted. Paige... You said that if it wasn't for me you'd be in 'boy mode'..."

"Aye," Paige sighed. "I mean- it's just that I, you know... I love Jessica, and I know you love Paige... I'm just not convinced you'd love Paul as much... And I don't know whether or not I'd love Jesse..." Jessica cuddled her upset girlfriend close to her as she bared her soul.

"Then how about we make a pact," Jessica said confidently. "Whenever we're together, we'll always be girlfriend and girlfriend, not boyfriend and girlfriend or boyfriend and boyfriend?"

"What if one of us leaves the company?" Paige asked coldly. "What if one of us decided that they didn't want to be a girl anymore?"

"I'm happy to cross that bridge when we come to it," Jessica said. "Right now, all I care about is that I want to spend the day with my sexy Scottish GIRLfriend!"

"Anything you want, amazing American GIRLfriend!" Paige said, though at the back of her mind, there was still a lingering doubt- both about her relationship with Jessica and about herself...

The girls stayed on the sofa for the rest of the afternoon before returning to Paige's apartment for the Scottish girl's end of probation party. Predictably, the party had a theme of 'all things Scotland', so in the privacy of Paige's bedroom, the two girls exchanged their fashionable street clothes for frilly, puffy-sleeved blouses, long kilts that were coloured in the red, blue and green of the Robertson tartan and cute tam caps that matched their skirts.

"You do know a kilt is technically boy's clothing, right?" Jessica teased Paige as the Scottish girl helped pin her kilt together.

"Aye, that's why we're also wearing the underwear and the make-up!" Paige giggled. "You know... I really, REALLY didn't want this theme for my party..."

"Oh?" Jessica asked with surprise. "Are you not a proud Scottish lady through and through? You nearly cried when the 'No' campaign won the referendum..."

"Oh, don't get me wrong," Paige said. "I love my country, it's just..."

"You don't want to be so easily defined..." Jessica interrupted.

"EXACTLY that," Paige said with a smile on her scarlet lips. "Maybe we really are soul mates, heh..."

"Ever worn a kilt before?" Jessica asked as she playfully swished the tartan fabric around her nylon-clad legs.

"A few times," Paige sighed. "Nowhere near as much as I'd have liked, though!" Jessica giggled and gave Paige a quick kiss, before leading the girl out of her bedroom to a rapturous round of applause, led by Paige's housemate Stacey.

"Ladies and gentlemen, but most importantly, ladies," Stacey announced in her light Yorkshire accent, "as of today, wee Miss Robertson is a fully-fledged Soixante-Trois stewardess- and that deserves celebrating! Hit the music!" On cue, the stereo started blaring out traditional Scottish folk music, making Paige cringe as the assembled guests began dancing- or at least, attempting to dance- traditional highland jigs to the music. Jessica, meanwhile, sought out Paige's Japanese room-mate.

"Is that whiskey?" Jessica asked Hiromi, who was holding a glass of orangey-brown liquid.

"Aye," Hiromi giggled in an unconvincing Scottish accent. "Care for a wee dram?"

"I'll pass," Jessica laughed. "Hiromi... Paige tells me that you've started taking oestrogen, is that correct?"

"Yeah," Hiromi said, reverting back to her natural Tokyo accent. "Why, would you like some?"

"No, it's not that- well, it kinda is, it just-" Jessica stammered.

"Let me guess," Hiromi said. "You're not sure whether or not you want to transition, and you want to speak with someone to work it through?" Hiromi laughed before continuing. "That's exactly how I was before seeing my counsellor. The company actually provides a counsellor specifically for this reason, I can give you her email if you'd like?"

"Here I was thinking it was only Paige who could read my mind," Jessica said, making the Japanese girl laugh. "That email would be great, please."

"She has a long waiting list," Hiromi said as she emailed Jessica the contact details of her counsellor. "But if you mention that you work for the company, she should set you up fairly quickly."

"You are an absolute Angel," Jessica said with a warm smile.

"Which one?" Hiromi giggled. "I always saw myself as a Japanese Mary Carter..."

"Oh god, please don't start," Jessica sighed, drinking her whiskey and joining in the traditional dancing with her girlfriend.

Hours later, after the party had died down, Jessica and Paige- both of whom had consumed a generous amount of alcohol- retired to Paige's room, where they quickly stripped each other of their clothes and dived beneath Paige's sheets, making love to each other over and over again until they fell asleep in each other's arms, both utterly drained but utterly exhilarated.

The following morning, Jessica awoke before Paige and stared down at the sleeping Scottish girl- but her thoughts were more focussed on the counsellor Hiromi had recommended to her than on Paige. Whilst Jessica had lived full-time as a woman for three successful months, she still considered herself to be a man who preferred to be a woman rather than a woman trapped in the body of a man. There were days when she wanted nothing more than to strip her feminine finery from her body and return to her old life as Jesse- but as her life as a woman became more and more established, she found that 'Jessica' was becoming much more 'real' than Jesse ever was- and that if she returned to life as Jesse, it would be like she was a woman pretending to be a man, rather than the man pretending to be a woman that she thought she was.

Like Paige, Jessica had previously thought on more than one occasion about starting the transitioning process and taking feminising hormones, but also like Paige, Jessica found that she lacked the courage. Her main hurdle was- like many transgendered people her age- her parents, who had no idea about the double life their child was living- something Jessica intended to keep them in the dark about for as long as possible.

Jessica sighed as she gently unwrapped the slumbering Scottish girl's arms from around her waist and slid out bed, quietly heading to the shower. Paige's room-mates were all at work, meaning that the two girls had the apartment all to themselves, but Jessica was restless, eager to explore the possibilities that could be opened up by Hiromi's counsellor.

Paige rolled over in bed, the light streaming through the windows slowly bringing her back to awakeness. As she stretched out her left arm, she became aware that Jessica was not in bed with her, briefly startling and confusing her. After semi-consciously pulling on her cache sex, followed by a black thong and a matching bra (into which she stuffed her falsies), Paige stepped out of the bedroom, catching Jessica just as she exited the bathroom with her body and her short blonde hair wrapped in two large, fluffy towels.

"Morning sexy," Paige teased. "My bed not good enough for you or something?"

"Just wanted to get in the shower first," Jessica said, blushing slightly. "Think your housemates have used all the hot water, sorry!"

"Typical," Paige giggled, pausing as she headed to the shower. "You know, for a PERSON who insists they're not transitioning, you look a hell of a lot like you're hiding breasts underneath that towel..."

"Says the PERSON actually wearing breast forms and a bra!" Jessica teased. "Any reason you needed boobs for the long walk from your bedroom to the shower?" Paige giggled as she cupped her breasts, only just realising that she was 'wearing' them.

"Heh, I didn't even notice," Paige sighed. "Just become second nature to me, get up, put on the cache sex, put on the tits..."

"Paige..." Jessica said cautiously. "I know what we said yesterday morning, but..."

"You want to meet Paul, just once?" Paige asked cautiously.

"Yeah..." Jessica whispered. "Just one time, Paul and Jesse..."

"Do you even have any 'boy clothes' here?" Paige giggled, making Jessica blush and shake her head.

"Just the dress I wore here yesterday," Jessica said.

"BOY clothes!" Paige laughed, making Jessica blush a deeper shade of red. "You're only an inch taller than me, I've got some jeans that should fit you and a couple of t-shirts that I already know from experience don't fit over breast forms!"

"Thanks," Jessica said, heading into the bathroom. "Which drawer's yours?"

"The one with boy clothes!" Paige laughed. "Hiromi's thrown all her boy clothes out... Mine are slowly going the same way, heh." Jessica laughed as she picked out a pair of the jeans Paige mentioned, turning them over in her hand. Even though they were male jeans, they still had a decidedly slim, feminine cut- the denim was soft against Jessica's smooth hands and even smelled of the same perfume Paige wore. After pulling on a clean thong- in lieu of any male underwear- Jessica slid the jeans up her legs and pulled on one of the plain grey t-shirts from Paige's drawer, finding it a tight but otherwise comfortable fit. Sitting down in front of the mirror, Jessica slicked her short hair back, exposing her make-up free face, and marvelled at how utterly WRONG she looked.

Sighing, Jesse stood up and exited the bedroom, coming face-to-face with the same pale-skinned face he'd seen in his bed and in his dreams for the past few months- only the face was noticeably different when 'freed' of make-up. It still had the same delicate, almost cute bone structure, but it was unashamedly male. If it weren't for his distinctive mismatched eyes, Jesse wouldn't have recognised the young man as the woman he loved. The plain white t-shirt and long cargo shorts were a far cry from the delicate skirts and tops that were Paige's trademark look.

"This... Feels wrong," Jesse said, tentatively approaching Paul.

"I know what you mean," Paul said, still using 'Paige's voice. "I'm actually still wearing my cache sex, heh."

"I'm wearing a thong," Jesse giggled as the two men sat down on the sofa next to each other. An awkward silence filled the room as the two men took random fleeting looks at each other.

"The question is," Paul asked quietly, "are you still attracted to me?"

"I still LOVE you," Jesse said, grabbing Paul's hand. "But... I'm not as attracted to you as I am to Paige."

"I feel the same way," Paul confessed, linking his fingers with Jesse's. Nervously, the two boys leaned in to each other and shared a single, brief kiss, before looking into each other's eyes with a look of sadness and regret.

"Jesse..." Paul whispered. "What we have... Is it- is it just a physical thing? Because if it is, that's okay, sex with you-"

"I LOVE you," Jesse said firmly. "I literally can't get you out of my thoughts. But... When I see you, I'll only ever see Paige." Paul closed his eyes and nodded, before unlinking his fingers from Jesse's and walking toward his bedroom.

"Wait right there," the Scottish boy ordered Jesse, who dutifully complied. Less than fifteen minutes later, Paige stepped out of her bedroom in all her feminine glory- her hair was brushed out into its familiar jet-black bob, her face was fully made-up, her nails painted a deep crimson and her shorts and t-shirt were replaced by a short black dress and her favourite make of black tights. Giggling happily, Paige plopped down next to Jesse, giving the American boy a long, loving kiss.

"Now THAT's better," Jesse said, returning Paige's kiss.

"Do you know, it's actually better for me too," Paige giggled. "I mean, I'm no homophobe, but a guy and a girl... Just feels more RIGHT, even if I have to be the girl!"

"HAVE to be the girl?" Jesse teased.

"You know what I mean!" Paige sighed. "Jesse or Jessica... I love you too." Jesse smiled a happy smile, before standing up and entering Paige's bedroom. Minutes later, Jessica exited the room wearing a full face of make-up, red nail polish and her sweater dress and tights from the previous day.

"I'm no homophobe either," Jessica said smugly. "Girl and a girl feels most right of all!" Paige giggled as she kissed her girlfriend, a long, deep kiss that seemed to last for hours.

"Paige..." Jessica began hesitantly. "Last night, last night I talked to Hiromi. She gave me the contact details for the counsellor she's been seeing-"

"Ugh, you'll not get in there for ages," Paige moaned, semi-consciously stroking Jessica's nylon-covered thigh.

"I know, I know," Jessica sighed. "It's just, I- we-"

"You want me to contact her as well?" Paige asked, making Jessica giggle and nod. "I've been thinking about it for ages, even if I'm not going to transition, it's something I need to discuss. Okay, you've given me the kick up my arse I need!"

"And it is a very, very nice ASS," Jessica giggled, giving Paige another kiss. "So, what shall we do for the rest of the day? AFTER writing that email, that is."

"We're sexy, well-to-do young women in the centre of Paris," Paige said smugly. "What SHAN'T we do?" Jessica and Paige laughed and kissed each other once again, happy that their relationship was stronger than ever...

Four days later, Jessica's alarm clock woke her at 7:30am, and for the first time since she started working for Soixante-Trois airlines, she found herself deeply unwilling to get up and go to work- and not just because of the girl around whom Jessica's arms were wrapped.

"Morning, gorgeous," Jessica said, waking Paige with a soft kiss on the forehead.

"Morning, sexy," Paige lazily sighed. "Can't believe we have to go back to work already..."

"We've both got holidays booked," Jessica said. "Okay, yes, in February, but still..."

"Three months during which we'll barely see each other," Paige moaned, unwrapping herself from Jessica's embrace and heading into the apartment's shower. Jessica barely had the time to compose herself when Natalie entered the room and sat down on her bed to put on her corset and stockings.

"Maidin mhaith!" Natalie joked. "Looking forward to Dublin again? Assuming you remember how to be a stewardess, what with your five days off..."

"Felt like it was barely five minutes," Jessica moaned, stretching her tired muscles before helping Natalie to tie her corset. "Time flies..."

"I believe that phrase ends with 'when you're having sex'," Natalie giggled, only laughing harder as Jessica put extra force into lacing in her waist. "On a purely selfish note, I'm looking forward to sleeping in my own bed again..."

"Why oh why are you so reluctant to tell Marie about you and Zoe?" Jessica sighed.

"You know why," Natalie replied. "It's mainly because I kinda want to still be able to actually see her..."

"Marie is not going to kick you out because you two are an item," Jessica said. "Zoe's twenty, she can make her own decisions about who she sees."

"Yeah," Natalie sighed. "But it's kinda been going on a REALLY long time behind her back... Marie's NOT going to be happy about that." Jessica paused to think of a reply, but was interrupted when Paige returned to the room, her slim body wrapped in a thick, fluffy towel.

"Talk in a bit," Jessica said, quickly skipping up to the shower.

"Talking about anything interesting?" Paige asked as Natalie helped to tie her corset.

"Sex," Natalie said, giggling as Paige did a double-take.

"You and Zoe still at it?" Paige asked.

"No more than you and Jessica," Natalie replied, making Paige giggle.

"That's still a hell of a lot," Paige said.

"Oh believe me, I heard," Natalie chuckled. "But truthfully... All this sneaking around is kinda getting to me, and I think Zoe's feeling the same... It doesn't help that she's miserable because she's got her last ballet class in a few days, she's really going to miss those kids."

"Can't stand kids myself," Paige muttered.

"I've got two younger sisters, I can't afford to hate kids!" Natalie joked.

"How did they react when their big brother became their big sister?" Paige asked.

"By asking me for make-up and fashion tips!" Natalie giggled. "I say 'younger', they're nineteen and seventeen so it's not like they're little kids. And besides, it's not like I'm transitioning or anything, I'm still their brother, I'm just also sometimes their sister too."

"You never felt like making 'Natalie' a, you know, 'permanent fixture'?" Paige asked.

"Sometimes," Natalie sighed. "But I've got the best of both worlds. I can pass as a woman, but I can go back to being a man any time I want. I have a healthy sex life with a sexy twenty year old woman whose body has been made HYPER-flexible following fifteen years of ballet, and I work in a job that allows me to 'indulge' my desire to, you know, 'be Natalie'. Why would I want to change anything?"

"It's just..." Paige sighed as she finished dressing in a tight black pencil dress, "when you're, you know, 'being Matthew'... Don't you yearn to 'be Natalie'."

"No," Natalie explained. "Because I only 'be Matthew' when I want to 'be Matthew'."

"But what if you were in the position where you never wanted to 'be Matthew' ever again?" Paige asked, making Natalie pause as she tied her stilettos to her feet.

"No point in worrying about 'what if's," Natalie said. "I've got the freedom to choose. Personally, I find that a HELL of a lot better than having to actually make a choice."

"If you weren't English, I'd envy you," Paige giggled, before greeting Jessica with a kiss as she returned to the bedroom to get dressed.

An hour later, all three women had changed from their chic pencil dresses into the blue- or in Paige’s case black- uniforms that they would be greeting passengers with all day. As the three girls prepared to board their respective planes, Jessica and Paige stared at each other with a sense of regret.

"Can't believe I'm not going to see you for six days," Paige sighed. "All I want to do is just kiss you, right here, right now..."

"Yeah, as an official mentor I'd be obliged to report that," Natalie said with a sympathetic voice.

"Would you though?" Paige asked.

"Probably not," Natalie chuckled. "But you never know who's watching... Probably best if you kept each other at arm's length, at least for now."

"'Never know who's watching'," Jessica moaned. "Like a certain perverted co-pilot..."

"Christ, don't remind me," Paige moaned as she perched her black pillbox hat on her head. "Guess who's flying with him all the way to St Petersburg today..."

"Dosvidanye," Natalie quipped as she and Jessica waved goodbye to their Scottish colleague and headed to their own Ireland-bound aeroplane.

"Jess," Natalie said as the girls began their pre-flight cabin checks, "earlier today... Paige was asking me about transitioning, going full-time as a girl..."

"Yes..." Jessica asked, prompting Natalie to continue after a brief pause.

"I, um, I just wondered if she's spoken to you about this," Natalie said. "Seems like the kind of thing you'd discuss with a lover, changing your gender..."

"It is," Jessica confessed. "And we're both booked in to see a counsellor about it sometime in the coming few months."

"Well at least you're going about it properly," Natalie said. "Heard a few horror stories from Elsa about T-girls who used to work for the company who self-diagnosed as transsexual and self-medicated with oestrogen. NOT pretty."

"I dunno if I'll be taking oestrogen," Jessica said. "At least... Not yet anyway. I still haven't told my parents about 'Jessica' and I've been living as her for three months..."

"It IS the hardest step," Natalie said. "Are your parents... Are they liberal? Or are they, you know, 'Jesuslanders'?"

"They both voted for Obama," Jessica mused. "Then again, Maryland's been a blue state for as long as I've been alive..."

"That's one hurdle cleared before you even start," Natalie laughed.

"Yeah," Jessica giggled. "Only 999 999 more to go after that..."

Jessica quickly settled back into her routine, but as the days passed, she found herself pining more and more for her Scottish love. After four days of flying back and forth between Paris and Dublin, Jessica was thankful for a day off, but as she woke up and found herself alone in bed, she once again became miserable.

"Enjoy your lazy day, lazy girl," Natalie teased as she entered the bedroom before changing into a smart black pencil dress.

"You're the one who wanted the promotion," Jessica sighed. "Sorry you didn't get red route..."

"I'll live," Natalie shrugged. "It's not like black route's ALL bad. If I'm lucky I'll get to gossip with your girlfriend about your sex life..."

"Don't you dare," Jessica giggled, throwing a pillow at the laughing Englishwoman.

"Seriously though," Natalie said. "I can see that frown on your face... I'm going to be on the same flight as Paige today, to Helsinki. We'll be back just after 10:30pm."

"...And?" Jessica asked.

"...And, just because you have to be up early tomorrow for work doesn't mean you can't enjoy every second of your day off, no matter how late..."

"Okay..." Jessica said, not fully following Natalie's thinking.

"Just... DO wait up for me, okay?" Natalie sighed before leaving the room and leaving the American girl to her thoughts.

"Hyvää huomenta!" Natalie called to Paige as she entered the vast locker room at Charles de Gaulle airport.

"Okay," Paige said with confusion. "Do you, um, need some cough syrup?"

"You're flying to Finland," Natalie giggled as she pulled off her dress and changed into her black uniform. "Least you could do is learn some Finnish..."

"I'm having a hard enough time with French," Paige sighed. "Can you unzip me?"

"Sure," Natalie said, freeing the Scottish girl from her tight-fitting dress. "You never studied it at school?"

"Spent most of my time in school daydreaming about girls," Paige laughed.

"Being with one or just being one?" Natalie asked.

"Both," Paige said. "But mostly the latter. Can't tell you what I'd give to just be able to go back in time to when I was five and just say to my parents 'I AM A GIRL'..."

"You're barely twenty," Natalie said. "You've got ages left to be a woman. A damned sexy one, too, even if you're the only person who could go to Finland and leave with MORE of a tan!"

"Oh hush, you," Paige laughed as the two girls finished dressing in their uniforms, perching their pillbox hats atop their heads.

"You've got tomorrow free," Natalie said as she and Paige strolled toward their Finland-bound aeroplane. "Got anything planned for tomorrow?"

"Um, sleeping, drinking coffee," Paige said. "Why, are you making me a better offer, teaching me Finnish, maybe?"

"You don't need to be anywhere?" Natalie enquired further.

"Other than bed, no," Paige said, making Natalie grin smugly. "What have you got planned?"

Much later that night, after a return flight that was delayed for over an hour, Natalie opened the door to her apartment to discover it shrouded in darkness.

"Dammit, Jess," Natalie sighed. "What part of 'DO wait up' don't you understand?"

"She's obviously in bed," Paige said, following Natalie into the apartment. "She's got to be up early tomorrow, she's not going to be up for anything..."

"Then MAKE her up for it!" Natalie urged. "You know there's not going to be anyone else coming into the bedroom..."

"And then I'll miss her all the more tomorrow..." Paige complained.

"Oh for god's sake," Natalie moaned, before forcibly spinning Paige around and walking her to the bedroom door and practically shoving her into the room.

"Mmph?" Jessica moaned as the noise from the door caused her to stir. "Nat? Is that you?"

"Shh," Paige urged, smiling wickedly as she realised there was no way to back out of Natalie's plan. Quickly stripping down to just her bra and thong, Paige slid under the covers, giggling at Jessica's sudden alarm.

"Do I even SOUND English?" Paige laughed as she wrapped her arms around Jessica's svelte body.

"...Paige?" Jessica whispered. "What are you doing here? I have to be up in five hours..."

"Five hours are better than none," Paige said, giving Jessica a long, soft kiss.

"I'm, um, not really 'up' to anything, I'm really tired..." Jessica said.

"You're 'up' for cuddling though, aren't you?" Paige asked.

"Well, yeah, but-" Jessica said before Paige placed a perfectly-manicured finger on Jessica's lips.

"Just get to sleep, gorgeous," Paige said, giving Jessica another kiss and cuddling her warm body close to her own.

When Paige awoke the following morning, Jessica had already left for work, leaving the Scottish girl alone in her bed.

"This can't go on," Paige moaned as she threw back the covers and padded through to the living room where Natalie was asleep on the sofa.

"Wake up, Natalie," Paige yelled.

"Ugh, what time is it?" Natalie yawned.

"About 9:30, why?" Paige asked.

"It's Zoe's last day at the dance studio," Natalie explained. "Wanted to surprise her when she came back but she's probably not even up yet."

"What did you have in mind?" Paige asked, her grin widening with Natalie's.

"Two questions: do you have your credit card with you, and do you know Jessica's size?" Natalie asked.

"Yes and yes," Paige replied. "What DO you have in mind?" Natalie chuckled a deep, evil chuckle as she got off her sofa and headed to the shower, wanting to dress as quickly as possible to enact her plan.

Zoe sighed as she trudged up the stairs to her apartment following her last ever lesson as a ballet instructor. She should have been happy- she was going to a high-paying, high-glamour career that a lot of people would give their right arm for, but she was going to miss teaching, and whilst she'd undoubtedly get opportunities during her free time, she was going to miss dancing as well. Zoe stared down at her flimsy dance skirt and her pink tights and wondered when she would ever get the chance to wear them again.

As Zoe opened her front door, however, all her questions were answered.

"Mademoiselle Renou?" Natalie asked in a flawless French accent. "We are ready for our lesson, s'il vous plait."

"Oh dieu!" Zoe gasped as she stared at the unusual, but highly welcome sight in front of her. There, dressed in the same soft pink tights, black leotards and satin ballet slippers as the girls she'd just left, were Natalie, Jessica and Paige, all gripping the side of the sofa as though it were a proper barre.

"You girls..." Zoe breathed as her leotard-clad friends giggled.

"We couldn't let you get away without one final lesson," Paige explained. "This was all Natalie's idea."

"You are PERFECT," Zoe said, giving Natalie a slow kiss on the lips.

"Be careful," Jessica whispered. "Marie's in her room getting changed." Zoe's eyes went wide as she released Natalie, who looked at the French girl through sad eyes.

"One day," Natalie whispered to her illicit lover.

"This is perfection!" Zoe giggled, sitting down in her chair. "I love you all so, so much!" Zoe stared at the three girls with confusion when they didn't move from their 'barre'.

"Um... We're ready for our lesson?" Paige teased.

"What, really?" Zoe asked, still giggling at the sight of her lover and her friends.

"You said when we first met," Jessica replied, "'buy a leotard and a pair of pink tights'..." Zoe laughed harder and rolled her eyes before stretching her tired feet and popping a CD in the apartment's stereo.

"Girls, I hope you're warmed up," Zoe said in her best teacher's voice. "And plie..." The three girls all giggled uncontrollably as they lowered and raised themselves in time with the music. The 'lesson' came to an abrupt end less than fifteen minutes later when Marie stepped out of her bedroom and doubled over with laughter at the sight of the four girls in their dancewear.

"Laugh all you want," Natalie said smugly. "YOU'RE the odd one out here..."

"Sometimes that's not a bad thing!" Marie chuckled as she lowered herself elegantly onto the sofa. "I quit ballet at fifteen for a reason..."

"Yeah, that reason being that I was only nine but I was still so much better than you!" Zoe teased her older sister, who rolled her eyes in response.

"You're meant to be preparing for your final interview tomorrow!" Marie scolded Zoe, who took the opportunity to roll her eyes right back at her sister.

"The final interview's a formality, you said so yourself!" Zoe sighed. "Just an opportunity for management to get to know the new employee better."

"Still, people DO fail the interview," Marie said.

"Fine," Zoe sighed, before heading into the bedroom her sister had only just left.

"You three DO look so cute, though!" Marie giggled. "First time being ballerinas?"

"Unless you count wearing an old pair of my mum's tights under a swimming costume, yeah," Paige laughed as she snuggled next to Jessica on their sofa. "This stuff's so much better. AND sexier!" Jessica let out a small yelp as Paige reached a hand down the back of her leotard, before giggling and stroking the Scottish girl's soft thigh.

"Doubt I've really got the 'physique' to be a real ballerina, though," Jessica sighed.

"If you're referring to your genetics, need I remind you that Jamie-Lee-" Natalie said, before being interrupted by a moan from Jessica.

"Don't talk about Jamie-Lee Burke, please!" Jessica complained. "Any more reality TV and my brain will melt!"

"Then how about the girl who won Miss Continental this September just gone?" Natalie asked. "Can send you a few YouTube videos of her if you'd like."

"It'd make a refreshing change from the Angels!" Jessica laughed.

"What are you two doing tomorrow?" Marie asked the American woman and her Scottish girlfriend. "Apart from NOT watching the Angels, that is!"

"Dunno yet," Paige said. "Thought we might go with Zoe for some moral support, but we get so little time off together..."

"Good job I've got YOU an interview then, isn't it?" Marie said with a smug smile, causing Paige to frown in confusion.

"Why would I need a job?" Paige asked. "I've already got a job..."

"Oui, on black route," Marie said. "Where you're miserable at being away from Jessica AND having difficulty learning the languages... So how'd you like to be moved to blue route?"

"More than anything," Paige sighed. "Pity that's not going to happen..."

"Very true," Marie said. "You'd need, say, a letter of recommendation AND a 3-month report from one of your current supervisors... Much like this letter I have in my hand, right here!" Paige gasped as Marie pulled a small envelope out of a pocket in her dress. Jessica's heart began to race as she realised what this meant for her still-fledgling relationship with Paige.

"Do- are you serious?" Paige said.

"They do this for couples all the time," Natalie laughed.

"Indeed," Marie said. "Obviously couldn't do it whilst you were in probation, but you passed it with flying colours, so..."

"Oh my god, thank you so much!" Jessica exclaimed.

"Thank you, thank you!" Paige gasped. "I don't know how I can ever repay you?"

"By working hard and enjoying your job," Marie laughed. "You'll still have to follow the 'no fraternisation at work' rule but now that you can fraternise as much as you want OUTSIDE of work, I trust that won't be any problem?"

"None at all," Jessica said, giving Paige a slow, soft kiss on the lips, much to the delight of Natalie and Marie.

"Like Natalie said," Marie continued, "they do this for couples all the time. Believe it or not, you're not the first pair of stewardesses to fall head over heels for each other..."

"Are we the first to have both been T-girls?" Jessica asked.

"Does it matter?" Marie replied with a chuckle.

"Not at all," Paige said, returning Jessica's earlier kiss.

Jessica, Paige and Natalie stayed in their dancewear for the rest of the evening, with Jessica and Paige even going to bed together whilst still wearing their leotards- which they playfully stripped each other of once they were under Jessica's bed covers.

When Jessica and Paige awoke the following morning, instead of clinging to each other for as long as they could, they were eager to get out of bed and enjoy their day, safe in the knowledge that with Paige's transfer, there would be plenty more days together for them to enjoy. Both girls dressed in smart pencil dresses and dark stockings, similar outfits to what they wore when they travelled to work. The girls exited the bedroom to allow Natalie to change, who emerged minutes later also wearing a smart dress.

"Is Marie at work today?" Paige asked as the three girls waited for the fourth member of their 'gang'.

"Yeah," Natalie said. "Sweating it out all the way to Doha and back."

"And you didn't even get to say 'sabah el kheir' to her before she left..." Paige laughed. "Pity she won't be here today for her baby sister..."

"That's why we're here," Jessica said, smiling with pride as Zoe exited her bedroom dressed in a chic, knee-length pencil dress with seamed hose and extra-high stiletto heels. Her waist had clearly been constrained by a corset, and her hair and make-up were as immaculate as any Soixante-Trois stewardess.

"And here she is," Natalie said, making Zoe scowl as she recorded the French girl on her camera phone. "The world's most beautiful stewardess!" Natalie laughed as Jessica and Paige both coughed in disagreement.

"Arguing for yourselves or each other?" Natalie asked as she pointed her phone at the couple.

"Each other, obviously," Jessica giggled, giving Paige a quick kiss on her scarlet lips.

"When I have my blue route interview next week, I'd better not get the same treatment!" Paige scolded Natalie, who only laughed harder.

"No," Natalie said. "This is only for my zenzational Zoe!" Zoe giggled as Natalie leaned in to give her a long, loving kiss.

"Remember," Jessica warned, "once we get on company property, no kissy-kissy..."

"We'll just have to get it out of our system now then," Paige giggled, giving her American girlfriend several rapid-fire kisses, prompting Natalie and Zoe to pepper each other with fast kisses. Once the girls had got the kisses out of their systems (and repaired their lipstick), they headed out into the chilly Parisian morning, quickly finding themselves stepping into the main entrance of the head office of Soixante-Trois airlines- a familiar sensation for Natalie, Jessica and Paige, but one that left Zoe a bundle of nerves.

"Remember!" Natalie whispered to her girlfriend whilst surreptitiously grabbing her hand. "This IS a formality. You are Zoe Christelle Renou. You are AMAZING. You are PERFECT. Knock 'em dead." Zoe looked deep into Natalie's eyes before smiling, nodding and confidently striding off to where her interviewers were waiting.

"Welcome to Soixante-Trois airlines, Mademoiselle Renou," Robert Marotte said to an almost giddy Zoe. "I trust you'll provide us with as many excellent years of service as your sister!"

"I know I will!" Zoe said confidently, loosely shaking M Marotte's hand. "I'll see you in four days' time!" M Marotte smiled warmly at the twenty year old woman as he ushered her out of his office and back into the reception area of the office where her friends were waiting for her.

"I believe they say in English, 'come fly with me'?" Zoe said, making all four women giggle excitedly. "Now what SHALL I do with this clothing budget advance...?" All four women laughed even harder as they stepped back out into the cold November air.

Four days later, Jessica and Paige stood next to each other in the locker room at Charles De Gaulle airport, smiling and checking out each other's figure as they changed into their identical blue uniforms.

"This is so amazing," Paige gushed as she zipped up her tight blue skirt. "I should've done this from the start..."

"Don't worry about the past," Jessica said. "We've got all of the future ahead of us. Now..." Jessica grinned as she picked up the blue pillbox hat that the company had made especially for Paige. "I believe this is yours?" Paige grinned and giggled as Jessica placed the hat atop her head, completing her uniform ahead of their flight to London.

"So cool," Zoe sighed as she zipped up her own blue pencil skirt and pulled on the fitted jacket that she'd waited so long to wear. "I would say I'm so envious of you girls... But here I am in my own uniform. MY own uniform!"

"You knock 'em dead in training, Zoe!" Jessica giggled.

"Ready?" Natalie asked Zoe as she pulled on her own blue pillbox hat.

"Ready, Mademoiselle Obi-Wan!" Zoe giggled as Natalie led her to the seminar room. With time to kill before their flight, Jessica and Paige followed the new mentor and her new protégé to the room where they had first met three months earlier, and smiled as the raw recruits took their seats.

"I remember our first day," Paige sighed happily as she watched Natalie guide Zoe through the mountain of paperwork she'd been given. "Even if I did spend most of it staring at the back of your head!"

"Good times," Jessica replied, before she was interrupted by a cough from behind.

"Excuse me, hon," an unmistakable Atlanta drawl called. Jessica smiled at hearing another American accent for the first time in what felt like forever, but when she turned around to address the owner of the accent, her jaw dropped- and much to her dismay, so did Paige's.

The American girl who'd asked Jessica to move was a picture of stunning beauty like any Soixante-Trois stewardess, but most annoyingly, she seemed to be like Jessica in every way- only better. Her long, blonde hair was both longer and blonder than her own, her blue eyes were bluer, her legs were longer and more slender, and she stood a clear three inches taller than the girl from Baltimore.

"Thanks, Jessica!" The Atlantan girl giggled as she strode into the seminar room, taking her seat next to her mentor.

"Who was THAT?" Paige asked, making Jessica's skin crawl with jealousy.

"Never mind," Jessica said. "Come on. London calling!" Jessica and Paige strode off to their plane, grinning at the sound of their high heels clicking on the polished airport floor, but their grins soon vanished when they saw Jacques Lacroix heading in their direction.

"Ah, mademoiselle Jessica, mademoiselle Paige," Jacques oozed, smoothing his tight uniform over his toned body. "Soixante-Trois's most beautiful couple! I understand you are accompanying me to London today, no?"

"We're accompanying our passengers to London," Paige said. "You just happen to be an unfortunate side-effect."

"Side-effect, or maybe 'bit on the side'?" Jacques giggled. "Blue certainly suits a beautiful Scottish girl like yourself."

"A beautiful, TAKEN Scottish girl," Jessica said as she led Paige past Jacques. "Go- go perv over the new recruits!"

"Where did you think I was going?" Jacques laughed. "I shall see you later, eight kilometres in the sky!" Jacques smirked a sleazy, slimy smirk as he waved Jessica and Paige off.

Jessica took a deep breath as she and Paige boarded the plane together. The flight was only an hour and a quarter, and when they returned to Paris, they would have the rest of day to spend with each other, and many, many more days on top of that. Jacques was a minor inconvenience, an obstacle to be steered around. But the new girl, the Atlanta native... Jessica saw the way Paige looked at her, and she didn't like it, not one bit.

Nor did she like the fact that she was looking at her in the exact same way...