Taylor's POV
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Sobbing in Gilbert Scott's car is not something I imagined ever doing yet here we are. I pull my beanie off satisfied with the heater. He handles the lanes with ease, watching the road, holding the wheel one handed as he swerves around. Totally in control, his composure unbroken.
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"Jesus what if something had happened to you" he says almost to himself, a frustrated tone to his voice as he pushes his hair back.
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"It was my fault I couldn't just leave him" I say undeterred by his mood.
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"This was not your fault" he says exasperated before cursing.
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"Fuck Taylor" he says and I flinch slightly.
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"What if you had crashed how the fuck do you think I would feel if you had hurt yourself potentially fatally. And I had to come and found you in some fucking heap of metal" he says as I stare at him perplexed. The trees filtering past us, the snow brushed off of his window as his wipers effectively wipe it away. Following the lanes through with him, despite his rage, it is a fair bit calmer than when I drove down them alone.
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"Sorry" I whisper softly, I hadn't realised he cared. I hadn't released he would be worried about me. I thought he had come here for Ross, and mainly because Matthew demanded him too.
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"Sorry for shouting" he says begrudgingly. Hiding his face from me, I sense his agitation die down. Wiping his eyes I look up at him abashed as he places his hand in my own and I hold onto him.
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"I thought" he begins softly.
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"I thought when I couldn't find you for ages that something had happened. That I was going to have to... Jesus" he says overwhelmed and I squeeze onto his hand wiping my eyes. Astounded that I've made the Viking shed a tear.
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"Not happening again, Jesus if he can't stop you charging off into a storm I will" he says exasperated and I bite my tongue. Matthew understands my need to do things.
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"Are you okay" he asks me glancing at me and I begin to wonder if he's in shock.
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"Jay I'm fine" I say softly stroking his hand to keep him calm.
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"Are you okay" I ask him, looking up at him.
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"I'm okay now that I know that you are safe, you're the only thing I care about" he says softly.
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"Rachel" I remind him and he scoffs.
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"This little snow adventure of yours has put it all into perspective for me don't you worry" he laughs and I smirk looking out of the window.
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"You are bloody lucky Taylor, that you're not mine right now" he says smirking.
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"Why" I say laughing, slightly nervous as he relaxes and rubs my thigh in the dark.
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"Well because firstly you'd never hear the end of it and.." he begins before he slams on the brakes seeing an obstruction on the road ahead.
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"It's just a bear" he says softly turning the lights off so as not to startle the black bear in front of our car.
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"Just a fucking bear how are you so calm" I whisper into the utter darkness. No street lamps, no car lights. I glance up at him as he leans into me.
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"If you were mine, after this you would not be allowed out of the house ever again" he whispers in my ear.
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"Bears harmless he just wants to walk across the road so I say we let him" he adds whispering.
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"You would not be keeping me in the house forever" I whisper feeling his smile.
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"Taylor" he whispers in my ear, so close that I can feel his lips brush me. I shiver and he chuckles rubbing my arm with his large warm hands.
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"I would" he smiles.
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I watch as the bear stumbles across the road, grunting, not liking the snow one bit. Growling in annoyance at the slippery wet road, a noise that goes through me, a low growl that tells me this bear is also hungry.
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"Don't be scared" Jay says holding my hand.
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"They can sense it, you have me" he smiles and I squeeze his hand.
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"See" he smiles watching the bear amble around rubbing my arm again, making me warm.
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"He's after that deer" he snickers and I can't help but to laugh.
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We both watch as the bear sulks off, I stare out of the windshield in wonder having never seen one in real life before. All be it totally and utterly terrifying and huge, I can't help but to stare at it in wonder and amazement.
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"I got you Taylor remember that, I'll always be your getaway car from bears and whatever else life throws at you" he whispers as I smirk at him before he slowly accelerates uphill out of this maze of wilderness.
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"I do appreciate that" I smile and he winks at me, his mood totally recovered from earlier on.
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"Thanks for making my life interesting" he laughs.
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"You're welcome" I laugh as he playfully tickles me.
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"Never seen one before?" He asks me, interested.
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"Never" I admit and he laughs slightly brushing his hair back, totally relaxed.
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"Black bears are pretty solitary" he begins and I just watch him, absorbing his behaviour and how calm he is. He's making me calm.
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"They can run up to thirty miles per hour if they really give it a go" he explains looking out at the windscreen.
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"Humans can't outrun them" he says looking at me smiling.
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"So if we were on foot and he was pretty hungry, well we'd be his dinner" he laughs and I smirk at him.
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"But they're usually pretty shy of humans, unless they're hungry" he says softly.
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We emerge from the trees and ahead, the lights of bear lake illuminate before us. A sense of relief washes through me and he holds my hand again.
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"Black bears would never venture out to town don't worry" he smiles and I chuckle.
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"Jay Gilbert Scott you sure know a lot about bears" I say laughing as he smirks.
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Once we're back on the highway I begin to relax as he cruises down the freeway with ease in his Land Rover. Almost as if he's forgotten that I'm there, occasionally stealing glances at him, he begins humming along to Johnny cash. I rest my head back on the head rest, feeling the heat wrap around me from both the heater and the seat and I close my eyes, willing myself not to see Ross and his injuries as I drift off.
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***
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"Taylor baby" he whispers in my ear.
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I gasp, catching my breath and opening my eyes with alarm, and panic. I notice that the car is stationary, gazing out at the emergency sign it all dawns on me that this wasn't a nightmare. I've woken up to it again, even though I wanted to wake up and be in an utterly different reality.
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"Taylor" Jay whispers as I look back into his eyes.
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"You sure you're okay" he says holding onto my hand, it's shaking again and not from the cold.
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"You're shaking" he says alarmed, stroking my hand a concerned look falling over his face.
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"I'm fine honestly" I tell him softly. He moves back from my immediate space and opens his car door. Walking over to my side as I regain my breath he unbuckles me and helps me out of the range.
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Holding onto my hand all the way to the ER, Jay guides me through the reception and approaches the desk with a disarming smile on his face.
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"How can I help" the lady behind the desk looks up at him, shes older. Salt and pepper hair with glasses, her name badge indicates that she is called Karen. I glance around nervously, as Jay holds me into him.
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"We're here for a patient who was involved in a motorcycle accident, his name is Ross Peterson. We found him, and Taylor here has experienced a huge shock and needs to be checked over" he explains softly.
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Karen looks over at me and nods, seeing my apparent state. I briefly wonder how bad I look, but decide I don't want to know.
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"Of course, Peterson is" she begins clicking the computer screen.
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"He's being seen too, we will give you the news on him as soon as we are able. Meanwhile a nurse will take your wife through" she nods looking at Jay and I stifle my laughter, I really must be in shock.
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Jay guides me over to a set of chairs, and sits me down keeping his eye on me smirking.
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"Well everybody seems to think we should be married to one another Taylor" he laughs and I slap his knee.
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"Shh Gilbert Scott" I laugh.
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"You're definitely in shock babe, normally you would absolutely hammer me for a comment such as that one" he laughs as a nurse promptly calls us over to an intervention room.
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"What do you say; Mrs southern Viking?" He chuckles as we walk over to the small door.
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"There's no way I'm good looking enough for that title" I reply laughing, he looks at me utterly confused before holding the door open for me. Doing as I'm told, I take a seat in the small room in a little chair and wait for the nurse to put me through her tests. Jay stays with me the entire time, she eyes him conspicuously, but he will not budge. He positions himself against the wall with his arms crossed over one another, just behind me.
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"Okay dear, just a few checks." She tells me, I notice her name is Claire from her name badge. She tucks her short hair behind her ear and looks at me assessing, as I stare at the blue dots on the curtain and count them.
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"Your blood pressure is a little low and your skin is cold" she mentions having checked it with a little device.
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"This is a difficult situation and I expect you are feeling shocked" she says.
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"I just must go and see my friend Ross" I tell her, unsure why she is worrying about me when he was involved in the accident. Her eyes flick up to Jay just briefly before she faces me again.
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"Okay and you can but I want your blood pressure back to normal first" she says with care and a slight edge of worry.
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"Just one second" she explains before excusing herself from the room.
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Jay, unfolding his arms from his chest, and sighing comes to stand behind me. His hands finding my shoulders as he begins to massage them. Kneeding them with his hands as I rest back slightly.
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"What are you doing" I laugh closing my eyes.
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"The more relaxed you are" he explains softly.
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"Your blood pressure decreases right" he chuckles as I stare up at him, I can’t help but to notice his chiselled jaw. A slight tan to his skin, utterly flawless complexion and how his hair has been naturally sun kissed. He catches my stare before I look back down at the curtain with all of the dots on it.
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“What did you mean earlier” he whispers.
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“When you said you’re not good looking enough?” He says softly and I sigh, looking up at him again.
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“Jay you’re like at this level” I say indicating with my hands laughing.
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“And I’m like down here” I laugh and he tuts annoyed.
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“You’re way better than me Taylor” he whispers his hands exploring my neck and upper back. As he continues massaging my back I rest into him, unsure of this new aspect to his personality. The man that reassures me against bears, hugs me and massages me.
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"This is my fault" I whisper closing my eyes again a tear escaping as the realisation dawns on me. Jay shh's me and continues working his thumbs into my shoulder blades. He's very good at it, almost moving my whole body with his deep tissue massage.
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The door cracks open and Claire returns with a glass of water. She sets it down in front of me appraising Jay just briefly and smiling.
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"Let’s have another check shall we” she smiles setting up the monitor again. I sit patiently and wait for her to perform her check. Nodding she smiles over at me.
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“Much better” she smiles as I glance at Jay and he winks at me, pleased with himself.
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Jay carries the water out with one hand and guides me with his other. I eye the entrance, looking up and seeing Matthew entering the emergency room. He spots us immediately and approaches with purpose.
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"It's my fault, Matty" I tell him as soon as he reaches us.
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"It's not your fault. You have done everything in your power to stop this becoming a lot worse" he says whispering in my ear. I look up at him, this morning seeming like an age ago. He wipes my eyes and smiles at me reassuringly. He kisses my lips lightly. One of his brunette curls hanging down over his forehead, I stroke it back.
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"Thank you, Jay" he turns to him as Jay just smiles simply.
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"We saw a bear" I say shocked and Matthew laughs.
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"Jay knows a lot about bears" I add still feeling stumped by my wild encounter. Matthew only nods pulling my hips back into him, and checking me over as Jay stands and pushes his hair back with a hint of frustration on his face.
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“Taylor has been checked over” Jay says simply.
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“I made sure the nurse saw her right away” he adds as Matthew eyes him.
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Matthew’s phone goes off and he fishes it out of his Levi’s. Jay guides me over to the chairs and I sit down again as Matthew comes to join us.
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"Yes I'm here, no problem Jean" he says to a female.
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"I'll update you of course" he says reassuringly before hanging up.
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"Ross' mum she's working abroad at the moment. She in Dubai, I called her whilst I was on the way here to let her know" he says to me looking at the floor blankly.
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"Matty you're incredible and I love you. Thank you for being there for me and for everybody else" I tell him, rubbing his arm as he takes a seat down next to me.
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"I love you Taylor, I thought something was going to happen to you. I thought you were going to I don't know fuck... crash yourself and I couldn't keep my shit together" he says and he puts his head in his hands pinching his nose.
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"I'm sorry I know but I didn't I'm here." I tell him as he watches me.
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“I shouldn’t have let you leave this morning” he whispers and I feel Jay shift in his chair.
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“But I did, and now we’re here. I should have put Ross in the car, that is my fault” I tell him as he shakes his head.
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“Should have, would have, could have” I say softly looking out of the large window and watching the snow.
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Matthew kisses me, urgently and possessively. Then he breaks away from me and puts his arm around my shoulder. I rest my head into him and close
my eyes. Drifting off and dreaming about big black bears, the woods and endless white snow.
