Colorado Mudbath

[Benjamin Taylor]

Ben laughed when she lightly elbowed him, he grinned at her for a moment glad for the light relief but then being where they were. It was happening and he hardly wanted to stand in the way of that at all. He nudged her lightly again when she head butted him, honestly he was just happy to be there with her. Both in one piece and both happy, it was all he could have ever wanted to happen given everything that had happened over the past year or so.

He rubbed a hand on her back doing what he could to calm her nerves as he stayed closed. “Me too.” He admitted as he grinned, so he was the nervous excited type that could feel his own hands shaking lightly at the prospect of what was going on. He had been there and said those words to someone before but just like that day he felt like they meant so much more this time. There was so much more at risk and so much to lose if it all went wrong along the way.

He smiled when she confirmed what he had said to her. It was nice to feel her head on his shoulder as it felt more like home each and every time she did it. Ben looked up from her when the witnesses and minister showed up. There was no changing things now he thought not that he ever wanted to but then it all depended on Stephanie. It was a marriage for two people not just one and that meant she had to be happy with what she was going to do.

He watched as she kicked snow onto his shoe as he gave her a look that said ‘seriously?’. He grinned as he made sure to get more on hers just for equal measure. “I can go all frosty the snowman on you?” He offered as he tried to make a mini snowball with his foot.

Stephanie Taylor,

[Stephanie Taylor]

[attr="class","tomhov"]

TAG
Benjamin Taylor

NOTES

When Ben mentioned his nerves she put a hand to his shoulder and started to massage softly into the his neck. She was the one needing a pep talk and she was about to give one. Well he'd already reassured her so it was only fair right? "I got rid of your first day jitters." She reminded him, "no reason not to make today fun." She smiled before stealing a kiss to where she had just been massaging on his neck.

She knew that he was worrying. The protective streak in him was undeniable. Stephanie wouldn't change it for the world, even as annoying as it was sometime. She understood because she had it too. "Hey, babe. We have gotten this far. So why the hell are we both sitting here like jittery high schoolers?" She chuckled a bit before tugging on his hand.

Though when she got the look for kicking snow onto his boot she smirked. "That's for getting cold feet." She teased lightly. Though when he did it in return she shook it all off. "Gopher trying to dig a hole in the snow?" she added shrugging her shoulders. She watched him try to make a snowball with his foot and she pushed him with a bit of force to make it a little more complicatied on him.

The minister looked between the two and chuckled. "If you two are ready? Or if you need a minute?" He offered. Stephanie looked to Ben wrapping her arm around his back. This was about as ready as she was going to get. Her legs shook beneath her a little, hopefully not enough to notice.

STEPHANIE HARRIS
HEY NUTCASE! STOP BITING THE COMMAND STAFF

✿

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[Benjamin Taylor]

He smiled when she put her hand on his shoulder and started to massage. Ben knew why he was nervous but he was trying to make sure that she was okay about everything. “Yes you did but we got into a lot of trouble for that.” He said grinning, “And whatever made you think that today wasn’t going to be fun?” He asked her grinning as he sighed happily.

Ben was protective, sometimes too protective but he was working on that or at least he was trying to work on it but then between the drama they had happen already it was tough. He could hardly stop himself from laughing as he nodded. “Yes exactly, we’ve gotten this far so what’s one more step... not like I’ve climbed this far for the view.” He said grinning at her as he squeezed her hand lightly.

“I haven’t got cold feet... until you put snow on them.” He stated as he grinned nudging her lightly, “I’m good at digging holes, thought you knew this already but maybe I just need to dig bigger ones.” He joked though honestly if he started digging any bigger holes there would be no escaping them with the rate he did that. He was still trying to make the snowball until he managed to put his foot through it as he went to start again pushing back against her lightly.

When he heard the minister Ben grinned and stood a little straighter as he placed his arm around her too. There was no being any more ready he thought as he grinned. “Yeah, no more minutes let’s do this.” He said as he kissed the top of her head taking a breath as he looked back to the minister. He likely looked like a fool trying to keep himself from a nervous breakdown, he was old enough to know better he thought and yet he was acting as if he was ten years old.

Stephanie Taylor,

[Stephanie Taylor]

[attr="class","tomhov"]

TAG
Benjamin Taylor

NOTES

Somewhere between the minister talking and her standing there focused on Ben, she replayed the last year and half over in her head. She'd not even really been listening to the minister. She was frozen in place. Commitment. The words hit her like a ton of bricks. She just closed her hands around Ben's. If she was going to make a commitment, he was the one who had taken her heart away.

Protective really described them both. It was a necessary evil they both pushed against. One more step. That's all it was. Except this wasn't a baby step, this was a canyon. Eyes stared into Ben's her brown iris' glancing over him. She was reading body language. The minister was saying something about Ben taking care of Stephanie in sickness and in health and she was so afraid that Ben was going to change his mind.

"Gophers are these annoying little morning creatures who pick on their housemates" Okay so she'd been somewhat wrong that day. He did dig holes but he was far from annoying. Time ticked by and she was debating if she was going to be regretting making this climb. It was just them, and there was no one else to see the unease in her body language. That put her a little more at ease that no one could give her some lecture on her mannerisms.

What if he thought this was a mistake? What if this was the moment he realized it? Shut up Stephanie. She overthinking this a little too much. No. This only affected the rest of her life, the rest of her children's lives, his life, and his daughter's. A few deep breaths, she started chewing on her lip.

STEPHANIE HARRIS
HEY NUTCASE! STOP BITING THE COMMAND STAFF

✿

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[Benjamin Taylor]

Ben could barely hear what the minister was saying at all, he was waiting on Stephanie taking off somewhere. Changing her mind about marrying a guy that was a good few years older than she was, had a child and had his own issues to deal with that seemed to seep into life every step of the way. He knew he loved her with all his heart and yet why she loved him, it was a mystery to him given that he bugged her about work and argued with her but when they were good they were great.

Staring at her Ben smiled as he nodded to her when the minister spoke his part about sickness and health, he would take care of her no matter what it was. He gripped her hands lightly trying to work out if she was going to run or stay or what it was in his head that said that she might be even considering that move. His first thoughts on her that day had been far from what he thought now but even five minutes after he had met her they had changed despite the fact that they both were hell bent on breaking ever rule.

Seeing her unease at what was going on he half wanted to call time on it and ask her if it was what she wanted. When it came to his words he just said simply, “I do.” Without a moment of hesitation as he took a breath. He gazed at Stephanie for a moment as he tried to smile, “Stephanie... before we go on I just want you to know that if you don’t want this then all you have to do is tell me.” He said holding onto her hands as he was hardly sure of her answer given her body language.

What if she said she wanted to go and that was it? He knew it would break his heart but he knew it had to be what she wanted as well. It felt like his heart would stop at any moment as he could hardly stop himself from staring at her trying to find her answer in what it was she wanted to do.

Stephanie Taylor

[Stephanie Taylor]

[attr="class","tomhov"]

TAG
Benjamin Taylor

NOTES

Stephanie had her own teenagers in the mix. It wasn't like that was going to stop her. She just tried to focus on Ben, block everything else out. She gripped his hands in return and even let a reassuring smile. She could feel the nervousness in the air. When he spoke she visibly relaxed. When he started talking she put a finger to his lips. Talking her out of this was hardly what she wanted. Lacing her fingers she listened as the minister started to sound like a broken record.

"I do." Two words that felt heavy to her. Commitment. Yeah that. "If I didn't want this, do you really think I would have climbed all this way?" She'd had plenty of chances to change her mind and she didn't take them. "Shut up and kiss me." She was taunting him.

Stephanie wanted to relax, she wanted him to relax. Reaching down she picked up a snowball and placed it down his back before flattening the snow with her hand. Oh she was back to her menacing ways. It was likely to get her in trouble but since when did she care? Smirking she just gave him the best innocent look she could manage.

STEPHANIE HARRIS
HEY NUTCASE! STOP BITING THE COMMAND STAFF

✿

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[Benjamin Taylor]

Ben saw her reassuring smile as he tried to relax, Ben was hardly the nervous sort but then today with everything that was happening he was a wreck. There was Grace to think about and the fact that his first marriage had ended because, well yes and then Zach and how was this going to work he wondered when really they had been making it work far before they had gone this far. Feeling her finger on his lips he grinned hat her listening to the minister.

To hear her say those two words felt as if the nerves had suddenly gone, she had actually said it he thought staring at her for a moment. “Well it’s a nice view from up here to you never know.” He teased though honestly there was now no doubt in his mind. “Of course Mrs. Taylor.” He said grinning as he moved closer to her to kiss her. He usually had a way of rambling on about things but he tried to say everything through a kiss though kissing her felt as if no one else mattered.

When he pulled away he watched her until she placed the snowball down his back and flattened it. “Woah... what was that for?” He asked as he tried his best to shuffle dance it out from his clothes as it felt a lot colder than he thought it might as he bent down to make his own snow ball as he aimed to do the same to her. What goes around comes around he thought as he was still trying to shuffle the remnants of the snowball from his back.

Stephanie Taylor,

[Stephanie Taylor]

[attr="class","tomhov"]

TAG


NOTES

Stephanie wanted all of these nerves to just go away. Her focus became Ben's lips because she knew it was so simple to ease his emotions with one simple maneuever. She rested her head down on his shoulder, almost to taunt him. Smirking it was clear her mind was turning. Stephanie had something on her mind.

Though the minute he'd called her by his last name everything hit her like a freight train. Relief only came because she trusted him. Though admittedly getting lost in his kiss was an amazing feeling. Her tension melted, a feeling similar to their crazy day at the firehouse. Look where that had landed them. Stephanie realized she was still holding his ring and slipped it on his hand when he wasn't paying attention. "Mine now," there was a small smirk.

Stephanie helped him get the remnants of the snowball out of his back, and it ended up with her getting the favor returned. Pulling Ben towards her she dropped down into the snow laughing and giggling. "Lighten up," she teased. Stephanie loved to play in the snow. She was going to take advantage of it.

STEPHANIE TAYLOR
HEY NUTCASE! STOP BITING THE COMMAND STAFF

✿

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[Benjamin Taylor]

Her kisses made him forget everything else that was going on, the nerves went away and when she rested her head down on his shoulder he could tell her mind was turning as he saw her smirk. They could have been anywhere and all he cared about was her in those moments, if she was alright with what they were doing and even when he thought she might run for the hills like any normal person might do when faced with marrying him. She had stayed and gone through with it.

It was what made calling her Mrs. Taylor so strange and yet to him it meant the world that she trusted him enough to take that step toward commitment. Kissing her and it felt like his first day at fifty one all over again, the day that had changed his life for the better because Stephanie was now his wife. He watched her slip his ring onto his hand as he grinned at her. “Always yours, my precious.” As he tried to do his best creepy Gollum voice, Disney was more his thing for the past decade but once in a while he had been convinced to take a walk on the wild side of movies and go see a less princess movie.

With her help in getting the remnants of the snowball removed he grinned as he returned the favour for her. When she pulled him toward her and she dropped to the snow Ben followed her dropping down next to her. “Lighten up... woah are you sure you want me to do that?” He asked her grinning as he decided to start shovelling snow onto her. Had she really any idea the age group she had just married, sure his birth certificate said he was an adult but his head had yet to catch up to that fact.

Between him and Grace sometimes the fourteen year old had more of an adult sense about her than he did. Then again growing down had to happen at some point so why not start when you were almost half way through life. After all the fire house was serious enough when there were times you just needed to let go and act like a four year old would do.

Stephanie Taylor,

[Stephanie Taylor]

[attr="class","tomhov"]

TAG
Benjamin Taylor

NOTES

Stephanie had earlier pulled the both of them down into the snow and yes she was in a mood to wrestle, in the cold on the mountain. To her, the amusement factor was half the fun. When happy, Stephanie was very high energy and rambunctious. Playful with a bit of snark. She enjoyed being a pain but at the same time, she had a heart of gold. She brushed some of his hair with her fingers as she laid in the snow. She probably should have put her gloves back on as he hands were getting chilly but she was too wrapped up in distractions to even think about it.

Then he started with the voice from Lord of the Rings. She made a face. "That was the most terrible voice imitation ever." She shook her head. "Keep your day job " She was of course only teasing him and it was clear as she poked him lightly. Though in all fairness he needed to stick to Disney princess imitations.

The snow cascaded down onto her and she started laughing. If he didn't have to grow up right now then neither did she. Pulling him closer to her she caught his hands in her now freezing ones and then poked him on the nose. She'd chickened out on a big wedding, but this was perfect. There was no one scrutinizing her every move, no photographers pestering them. She drew a gopher in the snow. It wasn't a very good gopher because Stephanie was terrible at drawing but it was easy to tell. She smiled and plopped her head back in the snow. Being serious right now? Overrated.

STEPHANIE TAYLOR
HEY NUTCASE! STOP BITING THE COMMAND STAFF

✿

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[Benjamin Taylor]

Ben could only grin at her, the complete transformation between the nervousness and leaps of faith of earlier to this was a welcome change given he had thought he might be going back down the mountain alone. Explaining to Grace this time what was going on and then having to deal with whatever it was she wanted to throw at him which he was sure would have been an ‘I told you so’. Still seeing her smile and feeling her fingers brush his hair, life could have never been any better than this.

Laughing he shrugged as she made a face and shook her head. “Oh the day jobs safe but hit a guy where it hurts. Been working on that for years now.” He said as he frowned playfully when she poked him lightly. So he had a lot of things filled away for these moments, then again of the few times he had been out to watch something over the rating of PG it was about the one movie he had there.

Ben knew she was teasing him as he laughed; though hearing her laugh was like music to him. When she pulled him closer he felt how cold her hands where as she poked in on the nose. Could they really have done any of this with a big wedding, no was there even a chance that he could have acted like a three year old with other adults watching. Sure but then he hardly wanted to embarrass Stephanie. It was much better than being placed by a photographer, trying to act that bit extra normal and then being on parade. It was nice just to see her happy again which was all he could have ever wished for.

Seeing the Gopher in the snow he laughed, “You know what you were saying about the day job. I’d put that in the Tate Museum. The likeness in uncanny.” He teased as he pulled his gloves from his pocket and handed them to her. Ben gazed at her for a moment; he really was a lucky guy he thought as he gathered some snow in his hands. Snow, there really was only one Disney movie he had filled in his head for that one as he sprinkled the snow over her for a moment. “Let it go, let it go, Can't hold it back anymore.” He sang or rather strangled the tune but then again he was far from a Disney princess as he leaned down to kiss her for a moment.

Stephanie Taylor,