Taylor stuck his head around his bedroom door quietly.
Good. Isaac was in the music room jamming away.
He slipped out and headed for the front door, pulling out his phone on the way. Quickly, he dialled for Natalie.
"Hello?" he said when she picked up, "are you busy or doing anything right now?"
Natalie
Natalie turned down her music.
"No, not really," she replied. "Just doing some reading. Why?"
Taylor
"Great!" Taylor grinned, "I'll send Tony to pick you up. Well, hope you don't mind. See you soon!"
He hung up, then dialled for Tony.
Natalie
Natalie blinked and put down her phone. Oooook.
Well, she supposed that this was her cue to get dressed. As much fun as it was to stay in your pajamas all day...
Taylor
When Tony arrived, Taylor gave him the directions. In no time he was atop the nearest hill range, and Tony had disappeared behind him.
He sighed and looked out at the view. This had to be one of his favourites, he could only hope it would make an impression.
He straightened his shirt one last time.
Natalie
Natalie was waiting at the door when Tony arrived.
"Ready?" he inquired.
"Yep," Natalie replied.
A moment later, the two had joined Taylor on the hill. Tony discreet teleported away as Natalie took in the view.
"Wow," she said, breathlessly. "It's beautiful!"
Taylor
Taylor turned to face her, a hopeful smile on his face.
"I'm glad you like it," he said, "I wasn't sure."
He held his hand out, inviting her closer to the edge.
Natalie
Natalie took his hand.
"I do," she replied.
She looked around, then looked back at Taylor and met his eyes and smiled.
Taylor
Taylor smiled back.
"I hope you don't see what I'm about to do as something born out of sheer confusion or pressure," he said, giving her hand a squeeze.
Carefully, he knelt down before her and revealed the small case from his pocket.
"Natalie Anne Bryant..." he began softly, trying to keep his voice steady.
"Would you do me the immense honour of becoming my wife?"
Natalie
Natalie stared at him. She opened her mouth. Closed it. Opened it again. Closed it again. When she opened it the third time, words actually came out:
"Taylor... I... I..."
She looked at him, eyes wide and open mouth, and finally started nodding her head.
"Yes... yes I will," she said with a short laugh.
Taylor
Taylor's face lit up and he quickly lifted the ring from the case.
"Better try it on then," he chuckled, sliding it onto her ring finger.
Natalie
Natalie, chewing her bottom lip, gazed at the ring for a few moments.
"Oh, Taylor!" she exclaimed.
Then she pratically leapt on him, wrapping her arms around him, and kissed him soundly.
Taylor
Taylor responded, hugging her back. When they finally took a breath, he turned to look back out at the view.
"Do you want to do something tonight?" he offered.
Natalie
"Sure," Natalie nodded. "Did you have anything in mind?"
She wasn't sure what she wanted to look at more: the view, the ring or Taylor.
Taylor
"Maybe dinner? Home-made?" Taylor suggested, pulling her closer.
"Ike's going out, you can come back to our place."
Natalie
Natalie smiled at him. Indeed, she couldn't stop smiling.
"Sounds good to me," she said.
She hesitated only a moment before kissing his cheek.
Taylor
"Awesome," Taylor crooned.
"I'll fetch Tony."
He pulled out his phone and messaged him. In no time, he appeared, and were back at Isaac and Taylor's.
Taylor led her inside, not letting go of her hand.
"Hmm... I wonder what we have on offer," he murmured.
Natalie
"You live here and you don't know?" Natalie asked, amused.
It was all going so fast, Natalie felt, and like her prgnancy, figured that it would be awhile before things clicked. She frowned.
"Tay... you didn't just ask me to marry you, because of the baby right?" she asked. "I mean, okay, we haven't been dating that long, so it was probably a catalyst, but, I mean... you're not... I am..."
She trailed off, uncertain of how to form the question.
Taylor
"Of course not," Taylor insisted, "as I said, it's not pressure related or anything."
He sighed, then led her over to one of the chairs. He sat down himself so he was looking up at her.
"I know it has to look bad from your point of view, where I have already gone through this," he began sincerely, "but I swear to you that there's something different this time. When I rushed into it with Jane, I'd proposed to her months after the damage in my mind had begun, and as you know it just continued to progress. When it was over I found myself questioning those feelings I had for her, and I've realised as hard as I try that I'll never know for sure what I felt for her or if it was even honest."
He squeezed her hand.
"Now that it's all over, I know that what I feel for you is so much more," his voice softened, "I want to do this right, I don't want you to have doubts, and I want you to know that the love I feel for you is genuine. So genuine that I am willing to sign my life over to you already."
Natalie
Natalie nodded, much relieved.
"Okay," she said. "Okay, good. I just... the thought popped into my head and I knew if I didn't ask, then it would bother me... and well... I know the damage that stewing over things does to people, so I'd rather know."
She smiled at that tacit reference to her power.
"I love you too."
Taylor
Taylor bit his lip, before standing up to hug her again.
"Do you have anything particular in mind for the wedding?" he thought he'd better ask.
"You know... anything sentimental?"
Natalie
Natalie's eyes lit up as the very thing popped into her head.
"Oh!" she said. "Yes, there is this beautiful old church not far from where we live. I always wanted to get married there. I guess now I get my chance."
Taylor
"I guess you do," Taylor grinned, leaning down to kiss her again.
"I'm sure there won't be a problem getting my family to Georgia. We're not exactly... not used to travelling around."
Natalie
Natalie kissed him back, and then giggled.
"Hey, I always wanted to tour with Hanson, and now I have the perfect excuse!" she grinned.
Taylor
"You do!" Taylor chuckled.
"And regardless of anyone else's opinion, you're welcome to join us whenever you want now."
Natalie
Natalie smiled.
"Awesome," she said.
And thus the happily, newly engaged couple enjoyed another one of Taylor's culinary masterpieces, and their evening together, of course.