40 Person Taking Hold of the Flame Battle Royal

[BME]

Continuation from the last one.

Blake didn’t say much on the drive back to the house. In his honest assessment there wasn’t a lot to say. His only desire at this rate was for the day to come to a less than dramatic end. That would be asking for much. No chance a simple request would be granted with the trajectory of his life. Whether the universe was going to give Blake Mason the break he felt he needed was going to be seen at a future date. He did the only thing he had any real control over, he opted to take a nap, get some rest. Blake was exhausted.


Before he knew it Jaxson pulled up in front of Taylor’s place. Jaxson nudged his boss to get him to pry his eyes open. Blake finally responded. Slightly more refreshed than he was when in the time span he slipped into a state of rest, he looked at the home with a blank expression. There was no running from this. Part of him dreaded stepping foot inside. The events of the day suddenly flooded back to him. The meeting with Scott Cannon and Kelcey Wallace. To fantasizing about kissing Kelcey, to heading to Church; this was a jam packed day that Blake would prefer to put in his rear view mirror.


“What’s the plan?” Jaxson calmly asked.


Blake didn’t hear Jaxson at first. He was too consumed by his own thoughts to properly answer his bodyguard’s question.


“Ahem” Jaxson said forcibly in an attempt to snap Blake out of his own mind.


Blake turned to a stone faced Jaxson. He says, “Oh. Sorry. What did you say?


“What’s the plan?” Jaxson asked again.”


Blake searched his mind Jaxson’s question. Didn’t take long for Blake to say, “Next on bucket list is hiring a chauffeur. Sorry for making you drive me around all day.”




“Don’t worry about it.” Jaxson reassured him. “We both know that is not what I am talking about. How much are you going to tell Taylor about what happen today?”


“Right.” Blake sighs. “There is no charming way to tell a fiance that you fantasied about another woman. The sensible thing to do in this scenerio is to leave out that part; fudge up how to day went just a tad to make everything make sense.”


“So you’re going to lie, basically?” Jaxson bluntly said. “Is that wise?”


“You’re single I, right?” Blake ask.


Jaxson nods.


Blake continues. “Here is a piece of free advice, never give your beloved a reason to be alarmed. What sense does it make to alarm Taylor over what… a dream? The Priest was right about one thing, Jaxson, I did nothing wrong. I didn’t act on my feelings for Kelcey. It would not be productive to go in there, tell Taylor, hey honey, guess what, I allowed myself to indulge in a fantasy about your best friend, lets go to bed and make love.”


Blake rolls his eyes. “Life and relationships don’t work like that. What I need to do is find a real way to deal with this issue. Giving Taylor any reason to mistrust me will not work. At all. Besides. I have to go into Breakdown in a couple days to defend the tag team titles with her son. Imagine if word got out about my day dream? You think Owen and I will be on the same page? Hell no. I am going to say absolutely nothing. I will walk in there. Spend time with my fiance. And all will be right in the world when I wake up in the morning.” Blake tried his best to sound sure of himself.


Jaxson soaked in everything that Blake had to say. He didn’t know what quite to make of the whole conversation. That was ok. He isn’t being paid by Blake to make sense of the moral code of an employer. His only responsibility was to protect the man from all outside threats. He isn’t getting paid to protect Blake from himself. He pats Blake on the shoulder. “Good luck with that. See you Tuesday.”


Blake presents his fist to Jaxson. “Of course. Take the rest of the weekend off. I’ll take it from here.”


Jaxson fist bumps Blake. One half of the tag team champions exits the car. He stands there to watch Jaxson drive off. With Jaxson’s car completely out of view, Blake walks to the front door of Taylor’s place. With a heavy sigh he inserts his keys into the door knob. Letting himself inside the first thing he does is head over to the couch to lay down. Staring up at the ceiling full of exhaustion, all Blake wanted to do in that precise moment was to fall asleep. Wake up the next day. Forget the events of May 23rd didn’t happen at all. His day wasn’t quite over. Walking into the living room is the woman he is set to marry, Taylor Chase.


Noticing her soon to be husband laying on the couch, she takes a seat on the air chair. She crosses her legs. “God you look awful.” she says frankly.


Listening to Taylor’s frankness brought a smile to his face. “Can’t get nothing past you.”


“Did Scott give you a hard time? I’ll rip him a new one--”


While it would please Blake to high heaven to watch Taylor verbally tear Scott a new one, not under these circumstances. So he cut Taylor off. “For once a Cannon is not the problem. My pow wow with him and Kelcey went as expected. Scott questioning why I’m helping out, whatever. I didn’t expect him to roll out the red carpet anyway. Still. I’m good. Just needed to make one more stop on the way home. Sorry I didn’t call.”




“Where did you go?” Taylor obviously asked.




For Blake he knew this was his moment of truth. Despite what he told Jaxson moments earlier, a small part of him was wrestling with whether to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but. She did ask him a direct question. No need to go into full blown exposition. “You are never going to believe this? Blake responded. Sitting up, he looks at the beautiful Taylor Chase. “Stopped by Church.”




Taylor’s eyes widen. She blinked twice. “You! Church?”




“We are officially in the darkest timeline, Taylor. I’m gonna retire from wrestling to become a Preacher.” Blake smiles.




Taylor playfully rolls her eyes. “And I am the next in line to become Mother Theresa.” She stands up. The First Lady of Wrestling walks over to join Blake on the couch. “Are you sure you are ok? I am surprised you would step foot inside one. Thought you were allergic to Church.”




Blake wraps his arm around Taylor’s shoulder. “Rough day. My pow wow was a lot more stressful than I thought. It’s true Church is not my usual hot spot, there is nothing wrong with trying a new approach. Wanted to gain a difference perspective on how I should handle things with Kelcey and her fight to get her son back.”




“Did The Priest offer to exorcise Chris and Sienna?” Taylor said.




Blake shakes his head. “Nope, that would be entirely too easy. We can’t have that, right? Could always ask Kim for her Infinity Gauntlet. Where would the fun be in that? Wrapping things up with a snap of an infinity gauntlet would be boring anyway. No point in fighting.”




“True. Boots to asses is more my style.” Taylor rest her head on Blake’s chest. “Did you get the answers you were looking for?”




Blake runs his fingers through Taylor’s hair. “Nope, giant waste of time; I am never going to a Priest for guidance again.”




“Now that is the Blake Mason I love.” Taylor smiles brightly.




Blake wraps his arms around her waist. Hugging her close, Blake says to her. “I am more grateful for that than you can possibly imagine.



For a span of roughly ten minutes, Blake sat with Taylor Chase cuddled on the couch in silence. All Blake focused on wasn’t the ride the day took him on. The immediate past didn’t matter. Neither the distant path. The future was yet to be written. No point focusing on that. The only thing that mattered to him was being in the moment with Taylor. Soaking in the moment would reaffirm to him why he was going to marry this woman at some point in the distant future.






He is where he wants to be. He was one hundred percent convinced of it. The moment of his mind being at peace didn’t last long. Not because he didn’t want to be with Taylor. He definitely does. No question about that. Naturally his mind took him back to earlier. The replay of the kiss that never happened flashed in his head. He sighs, not wanting that footage to dance around in his mind. Not now. Not ever again. How was he going to deal with this he thought to himself? Again the kiss jolts in his brain. Blake took another deep breath to calm himself. There was a time where he thought “just breath” was the sillies advice imaginable. Over the years he realized “just breath” does help bring a sense of calm to an ever active mind. With an intense temperament like his that has led him to make life changing decisions that has not only effected his life but the life of others, “just breath” has been a godsend.


His thoughts calmed down. He was able to center himself again. Blake wasn’t naive, he knew the images would pop back inside his head at some point. And he would be ready for the next time. Until he figures out a way to eliminate what he is experiencing, if at all possible.


“Blake… is everything ok” Taylor inquired.


He forgot, Taylor’s head was laying on his chest. She have to had picked up on his increased breathing. Blake shakes his head knowing Taylor couldn’t see him do it.


“Yeah… I’m good.” Blake tried to reassure her.




“I swear I won’t knock Scott’s head off it you tell me the truth. Was he rude to you?” Taylor said.


“He behaved, promise.” Blake said adamantly. “I don’t want to think about today, ok? Can we just exist within the moment?”


“Not until you tell me what’s wrong.” Taylor pushed.


“Alright—” Blake resignly said.


Taylor sat up.


Blake peered into her eyes.


He grabs her hands.


Ok, here goes nothing he told himself.


“Taylor—”


Saved by the door bell.


Blake raised an eyebrow. “Expecting someone?”


Taylor shakes her head. “No.”


Blake rose to his feet. He walks to the front door. Opening it he didn’t get a chance to properly welcome who was at the door as his daughter leaped at him. He catches her, holding her for dear life.


“Daddy!!” Kayla scrams in excitement.


Once he collects his barings; he notices Katelyn Beuller standing in front of him.


“Hey Kate. Not that I don’t appreciate you bringing Kayla by. You coulda at least called.” Blake said.


“I did call silly man.” Katelyn smiled. “You wouldn’t pick up your phone.”


That’s right Blake thought. When Jaxson drove him to Saint Jude’s Catholic Church he made it a point to shut off his phone so no one could reach him.


Blake put Kayla down. He gets to a knee. Puts his hand on his daughter's shoulder. “Taylor is in the living room. Go say hi to her. I need to talk to your mother for a second.”


Kayla nods. She rushes off to go see her future step mother. Blake steps outside. He closes the door behind him. He gives Katelyn a huge hug.


“Hello to you too…” Katelyn managed to say despite Blake having a vice grip around her.


“Thank you for saving me from doing something stupid.” Blake said


He released his grip. Katelyn looked at him skeptically. “Oh god, what did you do this time?”


Blake rolls his eyes. “Hey! I have been on my best behavior lately! That hurt.”


“Really?” Katelyn sticks her tongue at him.


“Taylor won’t appreciate you flirting with me, Kate.” Blake pinches her on the cheek.


Katelyn mockingly growls at him. “I should behave. Wouldn’t want another 100 year war.”


“Don’t think my heart can handle that.” Blake said. With a deep breath, he continues. “I was about to tell Taylor something I shouldn’t. I didn’t do anything wrong per say. Long and short, I am thinking thoughts I really shouldn’t. Don’t know, in the moment I was gonna try unburdening myself to make it all go away. Won’t bore you with the details. Thank you, ok. Your the best.”


“I know.” Katelyn winks.


“Don’t go Han Solo on me woman.” Blake smiles.


The door opens. Both Blake and Katelyn turns around to see Taylor.


“Hi Kate.” Taylor says.


“I apologize for dropping by announced, Blake didn’t have his phone on. But I knew he wouldn’t mind Kayla staying over for a few days. You don’t mind, right?” Katelyn said.


“Of course not. Always great having my number one fan around.” Taylor says.


“Hey.” Blake says pretending to be offended.


“Fine.” Taylor nudges Blake in the shoulder. “Co Number 1.”


“I can live with that.” Blake grabs Taylor’s hand. Taking his position next to her, he looks at Katelyn. “I’m glad you’re here actually. Before you came over I was going to share with Taylor my grand idea. I was nervous to share. Me? Nervous about something, this is a strange world we exist in. But I have never been a guy cautious to jump into deep water. So, what I was thinking about doing is asking Taylor about possibly getting married in two weeks.”


Taylor’s jaw almost hit the ground. Katelyn was equally caught off guard by Blake’s announcement. On the outside Blake seems enthused calling his shot. “The way I see it, Rise to Greatness time is going to be hectic. Whether I win the battle royal or walk into the event as one half of the tag team champions, the road to Rise to Greatness is craziness is ramped up by over eight thousand. Tay, we take ten day break between Taking Hold of the Flame and the first Breakdown of the RTG period to get married. I promise we can have the honeymoon after Rise to Greatness.” Blake says.




“Wow… I wasn’t expecting that.” Taylor finally managed to say.




“That’s Blake for you, flair for the dramatic.” Katelyn smiles.




His baby’s mother wasn’t lying about that.


“I appreciate the enthusiasm, can we talk about this more?” Taylor asked.




Blake kisses Taylor on the lips. “Of course. Just wanted Katelyn to know so she can get Kayla ready for our big day.”




“Well, I’ll leave you lovebirds to it.” Katelyn nods. She turns around to walk away.




With Katelyn gone, Taylor looks into Blake’s eyes. “Are you sure about this?”




“As sure as I’ve ever been.” Blake reassures her.




Their intimate moment was soon interrupted by Kayla’s sweet voice. “Daddy. Can we watch Frozen 2 again?”




Blake turns to his daughter. “Lets do this.”




And with that, Taylor, Kayla and Blake walk back into the house to watch Frozen 2 for what feels like the a thousandth time. This is where he wants to be. Then. Now. Forever.