My Little Girl (Tagged)

[Stephanie Taylor]

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[attr="class","lost1"]Stephanie Taylor

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Cool would not be the word Stephanie would have chosen when talking about people being back in her life. The difference was Ben grew up with his family. Stephanie hadn’t grown up with her dad past the age of six. “I see a perfect stranger Benjamin.” Stephanie and new people mixed like oil and water. Ben had been the one exception, she was a bit harder to let everyone else in. She felt Ben’s arms around her and all she wanted to do was cry harder, but she was at work and that wouldn’t go well.

“I don’t know what I want to do. I don’t have an answer.” Oh she knew damn well what she wanted to do but she also knew she wasn’t thinking clearly either. Still the thought about someone trying to replace Jim was… blasphemy almost. When he mentioned worrying about things she just laughed. “I just let you think you are the only one worrying about everything all the time. Nice try.” She replied with a smirk.

Achilles had followed Stephanie up into the truck and was licking her arm as she laid on Benjamin’s shoulder. “Do I really taste that good?” She was talking to the dog who was still licking away at the salt on her arm. Turning her attention back towards Ben. “I don’t want to leave right here. I want to sleep and not wake up until this nightmare is over.” She sighed and tried to keep herself calm.

Except she got out of his lap and the truck and headed for the break room, she leaned on the door frame with her arms crossed. "Mr. Anderson I don't have an answer for you right now. I don't even have an answer for myself." She stated flatly. He was no more a father to her than a perfect stranger. Stephanie didn't remember anything about being six. She threw a pen and a pad of paper down on the table in front of him. "I'll contact you when I've decided what I want to do." She still had no clue or idea what she wanted to do. The truth hurt, Stephanie had to process things on her own time.

Stephanie pulled the sunflower out of the bunch of flowers and laid it in front of him. He'd either understand the gesture or he wouldn't. She realized her dog tags were still in her hands. The leather strap that went around her wrist was secured and she rotated it in a circle, she was fidgeting again. Stephanie looked a lot more collected but also a lot more bottled up. Whatever happy had shown briefly on her face in the truck with Ben was gone.

[attr="class","lying1"]✎ Donald Anderson

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[Donald Anderson]

Ben could see her way of looking at it, then again he had virtually lost all of his family other than Stephanie, Zach and Grace so any family to him was worth a fortune. “He’s still your dad; you can get to know him. There’s still the chance.” Ben offered knowing that Stephanie was hardly fond of new people in her life but then he had managed to sway her enough for Stephanie to marry him. Really how hard could it be for her dad to do the same; the man at least looked like he was trying. Yes there was the chance that the man could have picked a better moment but at least now Stephanie knew.

“You don’t need to have an answer. Take all the time you need.” Ben said wanting to be supportive of her. Ben had to wonder about the mans timing and motives behind the move but if it was true what he had said about looking for her. Ben would never have given up on Grace, if she was seven or seventy he would still be looking for her no matter what. “Oh so you let me think that, well I worry about you a lot so it’s about time you just stopped worrying for a while and let me do that for you. I can worry for two people easily enough.” Ben said half in jest but truthfully he had no problem in worrying for a city of people let alone two.

Ben chuckled watching Achilles lick her arm, Ben might have made a wise crack about Stephanie tasting good but then time and place were a little out for that kind of thing. Then again it had never really stopped him before. “Then you stay here and sleep and I can tell the chief that you are leaving for the day. Close your eyes and you can be anywhere you want to be.” Ben expected Stephanie to stay where she was though he was more than surprised when she got out of his lap and headed for the break room. Ben hovered close behind just in case this was a bad idea though out of the way enough that they could talk.

Don looked up when he heard Stephanie called him Mr. Anderson. Was he unsure what hurt him more the fact she thought he had left her or the fact she was calling him Mr. Anderson. “No I understand that, I just thought you deserved to know I was here for you but I don’t need an answer now.” Don said not wanting to rush things but then this had hardly been the reunion he was hoping for when he had set foot inside the fire house. Don reached out for the pen and notepad when he was thrown down on the table.

He scribbled his phone number down onto it with the address and room number of the hotel he was staying at. “That’s all I can ask you to do.” Don said as he pushed the notepad back to Stephanie before taking the sunflower she laid in front of him. He smiled weakly as he stood up holding the flower as he watched her fiddle with the dog tags. “So you’re favourite is sunflowers.” Don said smiling, “It suits you.” He added though maybe the six year old he remembered to be sunny though now he had no idea who his daughter was. That was plain enough to see.

“I’ll wait to hear from you for however long it takes.” Don said as he moved to leave the break room and the fire house. He had taken that first step in trying to get to know his daughter, the ball was now officially back in her court for now. If she chose to know him then so be it and if not, then he would go home knowing that his little girl had moved on with her life and seemed to have a fantastic life in Chicago.

Stephanie Taylor,