Take Your Time • •

[Dylan Ellis Griffin]

“I think you’ve got the best spot in the whole cottage right now.”

[/color] He joked, acting serious but with a huge boyish grin plastered across his face. Part of him wished that they didn’t have to move today, but the Griffins were not the most patient of people; it was best to get the visit out of the way sooner rather than later. “Fine. But this is to be continued later.”[/color] He smirked, stealing another kiss before he let her up again. They really did have things to do today other than just visiting his family. The cupboards were pretty bare and they would need food of some kind in to see them through the trip. “You just keep thinkin’ that then, love.”[/color] He shrugged, acting as though he was hiding some kind of giddy secret.

Grinning, Dylan leaned over and stole a quick kiss. “Exactly. So be patient an’ be surprised.”[/color] He said as though it was some form of super simple logic. This trip would be a pretty big surprise to top, but Dylan planned on going down the simplicity route for a while after this. Sometimes little surprises could brighten a day so much more than a big one could. “I don’t think she’d let y’ get away.”[/color] Dylan laughed, remembering just how persistent this aunt could be. He didn’t quite know why she was like that, but she had been for as long as Dylan could remember and he even had a few memories of other relatives having to tell her when it was time to put an end to it. For the most part, it was just curiosity and high hopes; an innocent enough combination, but it didn’t always come across that way on a first meeting. “Plus there’s the small matter of you livin’ next door to me. And, even if you ran from there, I have your parents address. I’m also pretty sure that Taylor would be easier enough to bribe again.”[/color] He grinned, counting the list off on his fingers as he narrowed down Bridget’s escape options. “It would seem that y’ really are stuck with me.”[/color]

“Sideways. With skill.”[/color] He grinned, tossing a wink in her direction, too. More often than not, Dylan was actually oblivious to the way people acted around him, especially when he was in the hospital. There was a bit of time dedicated to chats and jokes with the other staff, but he was there to do his job first and foremost. Patients needed him and he wanted to do everything he could to make them better, even if the long hours left him exhausted and passed out on his couch when he got home. “About lunchtime.”[/color] He said with a casual shrug. “My aunt insists on feedin’ us.”[/color] He added, rolling his eyes slightly, knowing that they wouldn’t be allowed to leave until they were completely full. With his breakfast finished and his coffee drained, Dylan dropped the dishes in the sink for now, content with dealing with them much later. For now he had the rest of his morning routine to get through and while he wasn’t in a rush like most mornings, he had a feeling he better get started. Bridget would only serve as a distraction for most of it anyway; not that Dylan was complaining. “We better get a move on, or else we’ll never leave this cottage today.”[/color] He grinned, running his fingers through his hair again.
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• • •

TAGGED! Bee! <3
WORDS! 587!
OUTFIT! Kiss Me, I’m Irish!
LYRICS! You Had Me From Hello - - - Bon Jovi
NOTES! <3

[Bridget Cameron Delaynee]

“I would have to agree with you. Don’t let it get to your head.” Bridget teased, playfully warning him. As silly as it was to think still, Bridget felt like all of this was just one hell of a good dream and her mother would be waking her up any minute to finish off those croissants they’d started making the day before while Bridget ranted about making pastries that took two days to make! She wanted to pinch herself to see if it really was real. “I’m counting on it.” Bridget grinned, nipping teasingly at Dylan’s bottom lip. It really was a shame they really had to leave to pick up some things for the cottage or the blonde professor was sure they would be saying goodbye to Dylan’s family and falling all over themselves to get back to the cute little cottage. “Oh hiding things already are you? That’s no way to start a relationship.” Bridget said, crossing her arms like she was so disappointed in the man.

“I am not a preschool teacher. I don’t have patience.” Bridget said with a huge grin playing on her face. Fact was she probably had more patience than most; she did teach high school English for a bit before she’d moved to New York and started all over there; and some of those kids could try the patience of a Saint! “Well there, then that’s the problem solved! I wouldn’t be able to run even if I wanted to!” This trip might just kill Bridget. It was definitely going to be interesting and really nerve-racking until they were saying their goodbyes and she could breathe easier. "Promise a bottle of good wine to that one and she'll be yours forever." Bridget muttered, rolling her eyes. Taylor wasn't really like that but Bridget wondered sometimes, especially after how easily and quickly she handed over her parent's address in Vegas. It was only a matter of time before she was doing something else, too. Maybe handing over the address to the little cabin in upstate New York! “You could always look at it like you’re stuck with me. What a horrible realisation!” Bridget pointed out, a brow raised to her hairline. All things considered, it wasn’t the worst news in the world for either of them.

Crossing her arms, Bee sent Dylan the dullest look she could muster. “You think you’re so funny, don’t you?” Bridget asked, sighing deeply as if his little joke annoyed more than amused. She hated hospitals, all of them. It was a miracle she’d even gone to see Dylan at work. If she ever went to see him or Taylor, or anyone she knew from there through them, she sent a text to them and met them outside so she wouldn’t have to step through those main doors! Any and all future visits to see Dylan would probably continue to be the same text and wait as before. “Soon enough then.” Bridget said more to herself than Dylan with a nod. Thankfully they hadn’t actually done any shopping the day before having been too busy enjoying each other’s company and then grabbing something to eat just for the night. Neither of them had been particularly worried about getting the shopping done when they’d first arrived. Bridget was surprised she actually got the things she’d brought with her unpacked and organised! It was an impressive feat since she had wanted to crawl from the bath to the bed and sleep in her towel.

"As much fun as that promises, I really don’t want your aunt and cousins barging in on us because we didn't show up.” That was all they needed. It could have been completely innocent or it could have been absolutely compromising; either way it was bound to get back to Dylan’s mom and eventually her own. “So go, do what you need to. I've got to send maman an "I'm alive" text before she figures out how to call the police here." Bridget only wished she was kidding. There wasn’t a moment that Bridget would put that thought past her mother. If she didn't hear from her only daughter at least once a day while she was on this trip, she would either be on the first plane out or finding a way to call the police in Belfast! She set her own dishes in the sink before taking her half cup of coffee with her to the bedroom where her phone was still untouched on the dresser. She sipped casually at her coffee while she sent a quick message to her mother and answered the one from her father left at some point before he'd gone to bed the night before. It was safer to do this all now while she guessed they were sleeping and she’d have a bit of a break before the replies started; at least she hoped so though with her luck, her mother would have left her volume all the way up just in case she missed a text. Tossing her phone on the dresser once again, she rummaged through the drawers, picking out something she felt would be acceptable. She may not have been meeting his parents but she still felt she had to dress presentably.

Tag || Dylan! <3
Words ||877
Clothes || Pretty Fool
Music || Mirrors --Justin Timberlake
Notes || <3

[Dylan Ellis Griffin]

Grinning, Dylan grabbed playfully at her sides. “Now comments like that are a great way t’ start a day!”

[/color] To think that a few weeks ago Dylan hadn’t even contemplated this trip to Northern Ireland and the thought of a relationship with Bridget was nothing more than a flickering wish every now and then. Now they were here, in a quaint little cottage and she would have a hard time getting rid of him, even once they were back in New York. “It’ll be worth the wait, trust me.”[/color] He grinned, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. They were like terrible teenagers ever since that first moment in Las Vegas, but Dylan didn’t care. It had been a while since he had felt this kind of silly romance for anyone and with this trip and no interruptions of family or work to bother them, it was too good an opportunity to be worrying about acting their age or behaving like adults. “I’m also pretty sure relationships aren’t supposed t’ start with someone’s mother catchin’ them making out in the pool, but that already happened.”[/color] He teased, still completely amused by that memory and more specifically the look of embarrassment and horror that had crossed Bridget’s face.

“Neither am I, but I’m still patient enough.”[/color] He told her, refusing to accept that excuse from her. “Besides, you’ll take all the fun away if you’re that impatient.”[/color] He joked, pressing his lips to her jaw as he wrapped his arms around her briefly in a quick hug. Grinning, a soft chuckle escaped him and he shook his head. “You also have t’ catch that one in a good mood around the hospital. Or else I’m sure it would take at least a crate of wine just to get back in her good books.”[/color] He had never crossed Taylor in a bad mood, but others apparently had. Grinning, Dylan grabbed Bridget’s side and tugged her closer to him, stealing a kiss and whispering against her lips. “That’s the best news I’ve heard all day.”[/color] He was in no rush to get rid of Bridget and he knew that they wouldn’t fall apart in a week’s time with petty arguments; they had been neighbours and friends for too long for that to happen.

Laughing, Dylan nodded his head, going along with the silly joke he had already started moments before. “Stand-up comedian was my back-up career choice.”[/color] He delivered the comment as though he was deadly serious, when in actual reality he had never let himself think of a back-up plan. He was going to be a neurosurgeon whether he got there quickly or slowly. There was no other option in his mind and there hadn’t been since he was a kid and had his first glimpse at that particular world. The day would probably fly by once they got moving and Dylan was pretty sure that they’d both be exhausted when their heads hit the pillows much later that evening. He had a feeling that might be the theme of the trip, but then there was so much to see and do and he didn’t want Bridget to miss anything or have to leave out something she really wanted to visit or experience.

“They don’t know where we are. They just know we’re around.”[/color] He said with a light shrug, although he honestly would not put it past them to hunt down the cottage and bang on the door until they got some attention from the couple. At least it wouldn’t come to that. “Tell her I said hey.”[/color] He grinned, tossing in a wink as he moved off towards the bedroom and the bathroom. He breezed through his morning routine, only slowed down from time to time when he had to go and dig something out from his luggage. He had unpacked most of it, but had left some toiletries in the case or on one of the chairs in the bedroom to save making several trips just because he had found a tin of shaving foam at the bottom of everything else and then his toothbrush had fallen free, too. Meeting Bridget back in the bedroom, he paused to steal another slow kiss before he picked out his outfit for the day, taking his time since they still weren’t in a rush to move.
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• • •

TAGGED! Bee! <3
WORDS! 587!
OUTFIT! Kiss Me, I’m Irish!
LYRICS! You Had Me From Hello - - - Bon Jovi
NOTES! <3

[Bridget Cameron Delaynee]

“Careful, votre tête est une enflure.” She said as if the warning would help in any way. It would probably have the opposite effect on Dylan and have him acting more foolish than he was but really, Bee couldn’t complain when she found it amusing. “My, aren’t you full of yourself.” Bee teased, rolling her eyes. They were acting like teenagers but Bridget hadn’t felt this silly and mischievous with or about anyone before. It was new, it was fun and Bridget wanted to enjoy it. They had be to adults in New York, but right now with no responsibilities or obligations, they were free to do as they pleased. “Yeah, well, it’s not like that hasn’t happened before or anything.” Bridget said, looking up at the ceiling like it was a regular occurrence when it obviously wasn’t. Even as a teenager, her parents hadn’t caught her making out with a boy in the pool. She was usually smarter than that but that just went to show how wrapped up she’d been with Dylan.

Bridget let out an overdramatic sigh. “Oh, alright.” She conceded as if it were some big trouble to do so. She didn’t have the patience of a Saint but she had enough to wait for surprises. “It’s top shelf tequila to get back into the good books. The wine is just to make nice.” Bridget informed him. Thankfully, Bridget hadn’t been on the wrong side of Taylor’s anger or even annoyance before but she’d seen those sides of her enough to know it was hard liquor and ranting that got her out of it. Wine was for casual conversation or a girl’s night. “Fool.” She said, laughing against Dylan’s lips. Bridget crossed her arms over her chest. “Good thing you stayed in medical school. You’re not very good.” She said, trying to sound so sorry she had to be the one to break the news to him.

“And I’m sure they’d never figure out a way to find us if that were the case.” Bridget remarked blandly. From the tales Dylan told, his family would find a way to find them if they didn’t show up. Bee tossed a dull look in Dylan’s direction. “I’ll get right on that.” She muttered, shaking her head. After sending off the texts she needed to, Bridget sighed. Her mother wouldn’t let that single text be the end of it but she was going to leave it there until they got back to the cottage from their day out and only then would she send another text. Her father would be satisfied with the single reply for the day, though he would worry until she was home again and he had spoken with her. Deciding to worry about that later, Bridget picked out what something to wear and tossed it on the bed. She was digging through the small amount of accessories she’d brought with her when Dylan emerged from the bathroom. She knew there was time still before they really had to get a move on but she still wanted to have her morning routine out of the way. She left her chosen outfit set on the edge of the bed, before going to the bathroom and working through her morning routine. When she was finished she returned to the bedroom and dressed. “So how do I look?” She asked, doing a little spin for Dylan’s benefit.

Tag || Dylan! <3
Words ||568
Clothes || Pretty Fool
Music || Mirrors --Justin Timberlake
Notes || <3

[Dylan Ellis Griffin]

Grinning and taking just a moment to translate Bridget’s words, Dylan shook his head. “Don’t worry. If it happens I’m a doctor and I can fix it.”

[/color] He joked, like life was just that simple and those metaphoric situations were actually a reality. Chuckling softly, Dylan brushed his lips against hers before he spoke. “I prefer to think of it as confidence, love.”[/color] It was all full and games really. In reality, Dylan was rather modest. It was just with Bridget that he pulled out this playful, bold side because she often joked along with him about it. Dylan could never actually be that arrogant and big headed when he hated and rolled his eyes at the jerks like that he saw sometimes when he did stop by a bar after work or head on a night out with his colleagues or friends. He never saw the point in it or understood what people got from it, other than a drink in the face. “How likely is it that the story will make it from Delaynee mouths to Griffin ears?”[/color] He asked curiously, only hesitating after he spoke to remember that his ma was Clara Olivier now. She had been married to Justin for almost a decade but the name thing still tripped Dylan up. He was just so used to Griffin.

Grinning, Dylan nodded and then tapped the side of his head as though it would help memorise the information Bridget had just offered him. “Noted.”[/color] He hoped it would never come to top shelf tequila situations with Taylor, but he figured it was useful information to have, just in case. Dylan was not the kind of guy to let an argument or fall out fester and worsen, so having a repair technique to hand was always a good idea in his mind. “You hurt my feelings!”[/color] He feigned devastation, shaking his head and turning his back on Bridget as though he couldn’t forgive her for those words.

Dylan shrugged and then glanced up at the clock. “We’d probably have a few hours before they found the cottage.”[/color] He said, as though they seriously had a chance of laying low from his family. They were the kind who would show up and who wouldn’t leave even when ridiculously obvious hints were dropped. If there were answers they wanted or things they specifically wanted to talk about then nothing else could happen until those things were done and over with. At least when Dylan and Bee visited them there was a stronger chance of escape after a little while and only a dozen or so awkward questions. It probably still wouldn’t be the easiest getaway in the world, but it would be possible! Once Bridget had gone into the bathroom, Dylan changed into the clean clothes and grabbed his phone to send the same general ‘don’t worry’ text to his ma and then texted Freddie to make sure his apartment hadn’t blown up. Letting his brother house sit for him may not have been the smartest idea in the world, but it had been short notice and it was easier on his ma rather than having the dogs and the girls running around the family home. He had just slipped his phone into his pocket when Bridget spoke and caught his attention. A charming smirk graced his features and he crossed over to her, linking his fingers behind her back and tugging her close. “Absolutely beautiful, as usual.”[/color] He said sincerely, pressing his lips to hers in another slow kiss. Part of him wished they didn’t have to move out of the cottage at all today, but he knew it was in no way possible or fair. He had promised to show Bridget Ireland and so far she had seen the airport and one very small street.
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• • •

TAGGED! Bee! <3
WORDS! 644!
OUTFIT! Kiss Me, I’m Irish!
LYRICS! You Had Me From Hello - - - Bon Jovi
NOTES! <3

[Bridget Cameron Delaynee]

Bridget laughed, shaking her head. “Look at you, so close to understanding me so easily. Maman will be so impressed with you!” She teased, biting her lip. The intensive French lesson care of Genevieve Delaynee was better than any lessons learned in the school systems. “Confidence, hm? Well, you’ve plenty of it. You could share the wealth.” She joked. Bee had seen those arrogant men in the clubs and Dylan was definitely not one of them. For starters, he was actually a genuinely caring guy and those “confident” ones fake it. And he was too self-deprecating to have as big a head as they joked. Bridget didn’t need even a second to think about what Dylan was saying. “The second out mother’s meet.” Bridget said without even batting an eye. Her mother loved trying to embarrass Bridget. And though she usually failed at it, Bee had a feeling it would work this time around. She had spent maybe ten minutes total in Dylan’s mom’s company. That story was all Bridget needed his mom to know! She didn’t want Clara to think poorly of her.

When they got back to New York, it would probably end up being the other way around because Bridget was going to go into that conversation like she was so annoyed with the fact that her best friend had gone off and given Dylan her parent’s address! She wouldn’t be surprised if Taylor grabbed a bottle from her collection just for that talk alone. Of course, afterwards there would be a bottle of wine in her bag for Taylor, but not until after she’d had a good rant at it. Grinning, Bridget stepped up behind Dylan and wrapped her arms around his waist. “I’ll apologise later.” She said into his back. It was a good thing they got along so well or the pair of them would spend more time fighting for real than the fake play fights they had now.

“I think you’re stretching the truth a little bit.” If his family was even half a crazy as Dylan was suggesting, Bridget had a feeling they wouldn’t even have an hour before there were knocks on doors. She only had her own family experiences to go by but hers weren’t much better. Through the kiss, Bridget ran her hands up Dylan’s arms, settling on his biceps. “You might just have a future at this.” Bridget teased, leaning in for another, quicker kiss. “Mm, as much as I would love to stay around the here all day, you’ve promised to show me around and since we have to go out anyway, I’m going to collect one of those promises you’ve made me.” She continued, moving away from the kiss and Dylan so they wouldn’t find themselves thinking sticking around the cottage was a better idea than they already thought. She slipped her feet into different pair of shoes, smiling to herself about how many she’d managed to drag along with her and grabbed her phone from the dresser top where she’d tossed it.

Tag || Dylan! <3
Words ||507
Clothes || Pretty Fool
Music || Mirrors --Justin Timberlake
Notes || <3

[Dylan Ellis Griffin]

Grinning, Dylan took a moment to pretend to be really proud of himself, adding in a fake emotional sob just for effect. “I knew this day would always come.”

[/color] He joked, stealing a light kiss before leaning back and grinning again. “You still have t’ try and understand a family of thick Belfast accents.”[/color] He teased playfully. It shouldn’t be too bad, but sometimes they spoke ridiculously fast and even he had to ask them to repeat what they had said. “I do try t’ share the wealth but so few people are able t’ accept it from me.”[/color] Shaking his head, he acted devastated. “I even tried surgically transplantin’ it once, but alas, that didn’t work either.”[/color] Most mornings started in silence or with Dylan mumbling to the dogs. He couldn’t really recall the last morning that came with a silly conversation and the extra time lounging around in bed. It was nice, but the rest of the day was waiting for them. “Oh, that will be an interestin’ day.”[/color] He said quietly, although he knew that would be an understatement. That day would require hiding places, more wine than they cared to admit and probably some form of an escape plan. He was sure that Vivie and Clara would have the pair of them running for the hills within seconds.

“You better.”[/color] He muttered over his shoulder, still keeping up the pretence of being in an upset mood. Dylan had needed this break from his New York life, even without the added joy of finally being able to be with Bridget. That had just made things so much better and had given him a reason to want to make this trip so much more special. He had no idea how to do that exactly, but he knew he would come up with something before they were heading back to the airport and another flight home.

He thought about it for a moment and then shrugged his shoulders softly. “If I am then it’s only a fraction overstretched.”[/color] There was a way to find the cottage, since Dylan had left contact details with Freddie, just in case. It would just depend on how long it took for the phone calls to reach him and for the brother to hand over all the relevant information. Freddie wouldn’t have put up much of a fight; he knew the capabilities of his family and he could do without his ma making him feel like he was five and lying about who ate the cookies on the plate. “Now that does sound good.”[/color] He grinned against her lips before letting her pull away from him completely. Bridget had a point, so with a dramatic sigh, Dylan finished getting ready and grabbed his hat and shoes, putting them on before slipping his wallet and phone into his pockets and hunting down the keys to the rental car. “’Mon then. Let’s get out o’ here before we never do.”[/color] He grinned, grabbing Bridget’s hand and dragging her out of the cottage door. They would have a bit of a drive to his aunt’s. It wouldn’t be unbearable long, but they’d be in the car for about forty minutes or so and it would be a little longer before they hit the city centre itself.
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• • •

TAGGED! Bee! <3
WORDS! 558!
OUTFIT! Kiss Me, I’m Irish!
LYRICS! You Had Me From Hello - - - Bon Jovi
NOTES! <3

[Bridget Cameron Delaynee]

“And the Oscar goes to…” Bridget said dryly, looking up at Dylan with amusement. She shrugged, trying not to worry about becoming a floundering fool. She knew she was going to struggle with being around so many of Dylan’s family members, probably talking all at once, like big families do and only catching half of what they were saying. She would just have to keep her fingers crossed that she’d spent enough time with Dylan to understand enough; or look so terrified Dylan stepped in to save the day. “At least you tried.” She said, nodding. It hadn’t been that long since she’d woken up with a ridiculous conversation but the last time Bee had to roll out of bed and find her way down to the kitchen before that started. And conversations with her mother usually bordered on insane and ridiculous anyway so she didn’t count those. And normally she spent her mornings ranting to the dogs to get off her bed. “An interesting day that I’m not going to be there for, thank you.” Bee said with a shake of her head. She knew it was just wishful thinking, there was no way she was going to get out of that day but a girl could dream. “You know, we wouldn’t be planning excuses for that day if you hadn’t seduced me in Vegas.” She said acting like all this was his fault and not like they were completely into each other. And had been for a while for things to move as quickly as they had and neither of them finding it scary or anything but right.

There hadn’t been much in Bridget’s life in New York that she really needed a break from. Aside from the hiccup she was now free from, her life was pretty quiet; especially through the summer months. She needed those months to get back home before her parents showed up on her doorstep for an extended vacation. But the trip to Belfast was quite the surprise and Bridget loved it. Grinning against Dylan’s back, Bridget pressed a light kiss to his spine before stepping back and over to lean against the counter. “I will.” She said, crossing her ankles, trying to relax into the awkward pose. It was good to be away with Dylan. Besides the fact that it got them away from New York for a much needed break for one of them, they were together.

Bridget sunk her teeth into her bottom lip. “Then I guess we’d better get a move on.” She said with a sad sigh. If she had the choice, staying in the cottage seemed like such a good idea, even if they were in Northern Ireland and Bridget really wanted to play tourist and see the sights. No one knew where Bridget ran off to with Dylan, and the only way to get in touch with her was her phone, which she was not answering unless there was a serious emergency. Life in New York and Las Vegas could and would go on without her for a few more days. “Mhmm.” Bridget hummed as she pulled back. She went about checking her bag before tossing her phone in to be forgotten until much later that night. “Is dragging me around really necessary? Why don’t you just toss me over your shoulder?” She asked, her words dripping with sarcasm.

Tag || Dylan! <3
Words ||563
Clothes || Pretty Fool
Music || Mirrors --Justin Timberlake
Notes || <3

[Dylan Ellis Griffin]

Grinning, Dylan wrapped his arms around Bridget. “I’m so glad you have this belief in me. It means so much.”

[/color] He joked, keeping up his dramatic “Oscar winning” performance. With Bridget it was far too easy to joke around and keep up the silly games. She never seemed to get annoyed at them and sometimes Dylan appreciated that. He needed the break from the serious drone of life from time to time. He was twenty-seven, not all that old, but there were days when he felt much older just thanks to exhaustion, stress and the career he had chosen for himself. The silly moments helped wash all of that away. “Oh no. You’re not gettin’ out of that so easily. An’ if y’ think I’m goin’ t’ sit there on my own and deal with the pair of them y’ are sorely mistaken.”[/color] Dylan said, shaking his head. If Bridget found a way out of that encounter then she would be taking him with her, end of story. They might seem melodramatic to anyone who overheard them, but those strangers did not know their parents! The time they spent together would be more than enough to have Dylan and Bridget trying to escape and hide. He doubted they’d get that chance though. Arching his eyebrow, Dylan stepped closer to her with a mischievous twinkle in his light eyes. “I don’t recall you ever complainin’.”[/color] He murmured leaning down to trail light kisses along her shoulder, grinning against her skin. “In fact, you were doin’ quite the opposite.”[/color] He smirked, kissing her gently. This was a dance they could keep doing, but both of them knew that this was inevitable. They had been skirting around this relationship for longer than either probably cared to think about

He hadn’t originally intended to embark on a relationship with Bridget before this trip, but it had happened and Dylan didn’t regret it. Even if they had come here as friends he had a feeling they wouldn’t have made it through the trip without acting on those feelings they had both been keeping secret for too long. Now the trip just gave them the chance to make up for lost time and let them settle into this, enjoy the moments, without the interruptions of New York life. Here there was no chance of Dylan getting called into work on an emergency, Bridget wouldn’t have students or classes to worry about and once the trip to visit his relatives was out of the way, there was no possibility of a family invasion to kill a date.

“Sadly, we must.”[/color] The sooner this little family gathering was done with the sooner they could relax more and enjoy their trip spontaneously. Grinning, and in one swift motion, Dylan did exactly what Bridget suggested; he tossed her over his shoulder. “This is a little easier, you’re right.”[/color] He said, putting her back on her feet just in time to swing the passenger door open for her. “You set that one up way too easily.”[/color] He said with a shake of his head before moving around the car. It wasn’t the shortest drive to his aunt’s house, but he pointed out a few of the places he thought might interest Bridget along the way. There were plenty of the murals he had told her about the night before and various places he knew from his thirteen years in Belfast. The city had changed a lot, but there were still plenty of things that recalled memories and stories. Soon enough he turned the car onto the quiet street where his aunt had lived since he was a kid. Parking the car outside the house, Dylan cut the engine and took a moment to glance over at Bridget. “Are you ready, love?”[/color]
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• • •

TAGGED! Bee! <3
WORDS! 675!
OUTFIT! Kiss Me, I’m Irish!
LYRICS! You Had Me From Hello - - - Bon Jovi
NOTES! <3

[Bridget Cameron Delaynee]

“Happy to help.” She said brightly, using her hands on Dylan’s upper arms to pull herself up for a quick, flirty kiss. Life was too serious in the day-to-day to help it along. She was twenty-six and half the time she felt like she was twice that with some of the aspects of her job choice. And it wasn’t even that stressful, so she could just imagine what people like Dylan and Taylor felt like. But at the same time she was twenty-six, already had the career of her dreams, a PhD under her belt and a damn good fall back if teaching stopped holding such an appeal over her blonde head. But that wasn’t going to happen any time soon and these silly moments helped with that as well. “I have a meeting that day.” Bridget said matter-of-factly though the grin on her lips held the truth. “You’re more than welcome to come along and leave the men to babysit. But let’s be honest here, if one of us isn’t there to watch them, we’ll be married with eight kids before we get through the door. Or my bags will be packed and the nuns will be waiting for me to show up. Either way, it’ll be interesting.” She said because it was the truth. If they weren’t there when their families especially their mothers met, plans would be made and they’d really have no say in the matter.

Bridget didn’t know about Dylan but when she’d left New York she hadn’t been expecting to wake up that morning in Belfast, curled up in Dylan’s arms. Of course, she hadn’t expected to see him leaning against his bike in her parent’s driveway in Nevada either. That was the turning point for them. Even when they weren’t anything more than friends, he followed her across the country. That meant more to her than she could ever put into words because no one since she’d started dating had ever done anything even remotely close to how sweet that was. It was a wonder she hadn’t just kissed him right then and there! They might have been able to go the entire stay at her parent’s without acting on their feeling, but Bridget had a feeling they wouldn’t have been able to go the entire surprise trip without throwing caution to the wind. But neither of them had been able to go twenty minutes since his arrival before they were making out in the home theatre in the basement!

“Oh alright.” She said dramatically. Like anything that made people scared or nervous, it was best to get it done and over with so it wasn’t so nerve-wracking anymore. And she would have been lying if she said she wasn’t nervous about meeting his family. When he’d shown up on her parent’s doorstep, she hadn’t been given a chance to be nervous about meeting her mother. And by the time her father came home, it was already too late. When Bridget suggested carrying her would be easier to get her out of the little cottage and to the car, she hadn’t meant for him to actually do it. She let out a squeal of surprise at being flung over his shoulder. “And there goes my hair.” She said to the middle of Dylan’s back as if that was the only thing she had a problem with in being carried to the car. “You know it wasn’t smart right?” She asked casually lifting the hem of Dylan’s and running a manicured nail across the bare skin there once, twice before letting the hem of his shirt fall back into place again. With her feet on the ground again, Bridget laughed, reaching up to steal a kiss. “I did it on purpose.” She said, slipping into the passenger seat and shutting the car door.

The ride over to his Aunt’s house was nice and Bridget enjoyed learning about the city Dylan grew up in. She hadn’t known half the things she learned. But the ride seemed too fast, like she blinked and Dylan was pulling to the side of the road already. Bridget pulled in a deep breath as Dylan put the car in park. “No but let’s go.” She said freeing herself from the seatbelt and opening the door to get out. Sometimes it was better when she was this nervous to just forge ahead without thinking about anything more than putting one foot in front of the other and making sure her lungs took in oxygen and put out carbon dioxide. She stood next to her door, trying not to visibly shake from her nerves getting the better of her. Shutting the door, Bridget moved around to meet Dylan at the front of the car and took his hand. It was ridiculous how nervous she was, and she wasn’t even meeting his actual parents! She could just imagine how she would feel when they were properly introduced.

Tag || Dylan! <3
Words ||824
Clothes || Pretty Fool
Music || Mirrors --Justin Timberlake
Notes || <3

[Dylan Ellis Griffin]

Arching his eyebrow, Dylan looked at Bridget with a shake of his head. “An’ you know they’ll be together for more than just one day, right? Magically convenient meetin’ or not, you’ll have to sit with them at some point and listen t’ their plans for us.”

[/color] He liked to think this thoughts of that day were overly dramatic and ridiculous, but then he knew his mother and what she could be like. She would see no harm whatsoever in asking the awkward questions or jumping five years ahead in a conversation. Clara had been doing it for as long as Dylan could remember and being the eldest he got the brunt of it. “So we’ll both be there, whether we like it or not.”[/color] Plus, at least if they supervised their mothers there was less of a chance of finding them in the hospital or on the campus just “coming to visit”.

“Oh, don’t worry you still look stunnin’ as ever.”[/color] He grinned while Bridget was still over his shoulder, talking about her hair. “It was funny though. Kind of wins out.”[/color] He smirked, that boyish twinkle of mischief in his eye. These playful moments would probably follow them back to New York and their normal lives, too, but it was still nice to have this break without worrying about the city life interrupting them or reminding them that they had other things to be doing rather than just fooling about and lounging around. “Y’ better be careful or y’ might find that I start carrying you about like that more often.”[/color] He warned teasingly.

Smiling softly, he wrapped his arm around Bridget and held her close to his side. “Don’t worry. It’s just lunch and then we’re free. Besides, they’ll only be messin’ with y’ if they do say anythin’.”[/color] When his family were speaking with malice or hatred it was obvious. The rest of the time they just liked to mess around with other people and see how much it took to have them tripping over their words or babbling through excuses. Dylan had no doubt that Bridget would be able to hold her own with his aunt and whatever cousins were around. With her at his side, Dylan walked up to the door, pressing the bell before stealing a quick kiss from the pretty blonde next to him. He heard the shouting at children before he saw the silhouette through the frosted glass, his aunt soon pulling the door open to greet the pair with a huge smile. “Dylan! It has been far too long, boy! An’ this must be that Bridget you’ve been talkin’ about. I’m Annie, Dylan’s dad was my wee brother.” Once her eyes had landed on Bridget, Dylan probably could’ve fallen down a whole and Annie wouldn’t have cared all that much. The professor had her attention now and that much was clear by the way she ushered Bridget inside, her arm almost instantly linked through hers as she led them through the house, apologising for the mess of her grandkids before letting them all come to a rest in the sunlit conservatory. “I’ll just bring the tea in an’ move the children where I can see them. They’ll destroy my livin’ room if I don’t.” With her out of the room a second later, Dylan sat on the couch next to Bridget and rested his hand on her knee. “See? Crazy an’ we’re barely through the door.”[/color] He smirked, pressing a light kiss to her temple before relaxing back.
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TAGGED! Bee! <3
WORDS! 634!
OUTFIT! Kiss Me, I’m Irish!
LYRICS! You Had Me From Hello - - - Bon Jovi
NOTES! <3

[Bridget Cameron Delaynee]

Bridget tossed her head back to look at the ceiling. “Okay so day one we go into this together, and every day after that we take turns. As much as I adore you, I really don’t want our mothers picking out flower arrangements and making dress shopping appointments.” She really didn’t think her mother at least, knew how new this relationship was. They may have been acting like this was just the next step to their relationship but it was really new and they were still working things out. It was too soon to be having these conversations. And even if it was, Bridget would have preferred talking it all through with Dylan before even mentioning it to her parents. They were so unbelievably extreme sometimes that it was like they got a small glimmer of an idea and ran full out towards accomplishing what they saw for the vision. They were getting themselves in trouble being together, especially with the way their mothers thought but Bridget liked Dylan, had since they met and figured if he felt the same way, they’d manage to get through any meetings with both their parents together somehow.

“You’re just saying that to get in my pants later.” She said with a hint of humour. She had nobody but herself to blame for this, she walked right into it. “So glad comedy wins out here.” She said dryly. It wasn’t more than a couple feet from the cottage door to the car so Bridget didn’t really put up much of a fight. Plus, it was more amusing keeping herself entertained, trying to get Dylan to stumble. She didn’t have enough time though and was on her feet before she could do any real damage. “Maybe that was my plan all along, hmm? Keeps me from buying so many pairs of shoes if I never get them worn down or scuffed.” She suggested with an arched brow.

“I’ll keep that in mind.” She said on another sigh, trying to hype herself up so she didn’t stutter or say something to make a fool of herself. Even though it wasn’t his mother, this woman was still Dylan’s family. And family meant something to him, like it did to her. They were close and Bridget was well aware that his Aunt would be on the phone with his mother the second she shut the door behind them when they finally said their farewells. Bridget almost felt like she was holding her breath when they walked up to the door. She didn’t know what to expect and she was terrified she’d be tossed out on the street and told she wasn’t good enough for Dylan. She really liked him, had from the moment they’d met in the hall between their apartments. They’d been friends since then, helping each other out when it was needed and just being there to annoy and amuse. Now they just had the added pleasure of being able to steal kisses and all the things they’d been holding back from themselves for too long.

Seeing the shadow of a figure through the glass, Bridget took a deep breath, held Dylan’s hand a little tighter and smiled up at him before the door opened. She didn’t know what she was preparing herself for but the smile that stayed on her face when the older woman opened the door was completely genuine. “It’s so good to meet you.” She said honestly. Though she was still nervous about being there, Bridget let Annie lead her through the house. “You have such a lovely home.” She said, as they moved through and Bridget had the chance to look around at the cosy and welcoming space. It was a home, not a museum and Bridget adored that. Bee smiled when she left them alone and almost wanted to fall back against her seat in relief but she really didn’t feel like she had to. Laughing softly, Bridget looked up at Dylan. “So far so good.” She said, setting her hand on his. She just had to get through the rest of this visit without developing the shakes.

Tag || Dylan! <3
Words ||688
Clothes || Pretty Fool
Music || Mirrors --Justin Timberlake
Notes || <3

[Dylan Ellis Griffin]

Grinning, Dylan leaned back against one of the supporting posts to listen to Bridget’s idea on how to handle their parents. He didn’t know who was acting more like teenagers over this eventual meet; them or their mothers! “No, because that’s somethin’ that we should be doin’. Plus, it’s somethin’ that requires a grand diamond on that finger of yours first.”

[/color] Dylan commented, speaking without really thinking about what he was saying or what Bridget might think he was possibly implying. The relationship was new, and Dylan wasn’t thinking about dropping to bended knee at all by this point, but being with Bridget did feel right. Nothing about being with her felt strange and maybe it was just the length of time they had previously known each other for, but Dylan didn’t feel like he needed to tiptoe around her whenever they were talking.

“Oh, I have plenty o’ ways o’ approaching that game.”[/color] Dylan grinned, tightening his hold for just a second while he joked about the topic. “It always does here. You need to play by Belfast rules now!”[/color] He teased, laughing as though he knew something that she didn’t. Most of his life here had been filled with humour of some kind and it seemed to be genetic and contagious. It only took one person to say something and soon everyone would be cracking jokes, making digs, and teasing situations and people like they were on stage in some comedy club. Smirking, Dylan pressed Bridget back into the car playfully and leaned in close. “Oh, really? Well you’ll be out of luck back in New York when both of us are working. We’re hardly a carrying distance apart then.”[/color] He pointed out with raised eyebrows before pressing his lips to hers lightly.

Dylan’s family liked to pick and tease more than most, but they were far from monsters. On occasion there would be a joke or comment taken too far, but the family eventually forgave each other; even for the big stuff that had them seriously questioning how much more they could take. They were supportive and playful and in most they were a family of actors. They acted their personalities up and pretended more than most. This meeting was really going to be nothing more than an excitable aunt, some crazy cousins and a few jokes about Dylan’s past. He knew Bee would be nervous, but really his family were more like a bunch of flamboyant characters who only turned vicious when given good reason to. Plus, this was Annie and she was just likely to make remarks about how Dylan did this or that and how he was just like his dad for doing those things. She was proud of her nephew, and often the relative to phone him every other week despite Dylan warning her about the state of her phone bill each month.

“Oh, please! It’s shabby as anything after three sons and five grandchildren! But still, so sweet of you to say so.” Annie turned to Dylan and shot him a look. “This here is a good one, Dylan! Better than that…the one with the black hair…Katie?” Dylan let out an awkward laugh and nodded his head before sighing at the antics of his Aunt. And people called her the tame one. “Just for the record, I was sixteen at the time. A decade has passed since then.”[/color] He missed the comment Annie mumbled about how much that decade had done to expand the family. She, like most of his relatives, lived for babies. The more the merrier seemed to be their little motto and it was no secret that Dylan was the eldest of Sean’s children and they were the last bunch to contribute to the future of the bloodline. It was all he heard every Christmas when he made the routine calls to everyone back in Belfast. Smiling softly at Bridget, he squeezed her hand. “An’ it’ll stay that way. Annie’s just a little crazy and lacks a filter. It’ll be fine, I promise.”[/color] He reassured her, smiling as two hyperactive little boys shot through the room and out into the garden behind them, fighting over who got to go down the slide first. Annie appeared a second later, shaking her head. “You and Freddie were worse than those two and that’s all I can give thanks for. You weren’t my problem for more than a few hours at a time.” She said, shooting down Dylan’s defensive argument with just a look and a raised eyebrow before Dylan realised he was never going to win that argument.
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• • •

TAGGED! Bee! <3
WORDS! 813!
OUTFIT! Kiss Me, I’m Irish!
LYRICS! You Had Me From Hello - - - Bon Jovi
NOTES! <3

[Bridget Cameron Delaynee]

Smiling, Bridget stepped up to Dylan and set her hands on his chest. "It's cute you think they need a ring on my finger to do these things. Or that you would have a say." She said, sweetly, like she was humouring him. For anyone else, this conversation was probably a little early in the relationship to even reference weddings or anything remotely close to it. But they had known each other longer than just this next level to their relationship. Bridget wasn’t uncomfortable around Dylan to think she needed to censor herself about anything. She was also pretty certain at this early stage, she would run if Dylan got down on one knee; at the very least a fainting spell was in order. All joking aside, she wasn’t sure she was even ready for that.

Bridget laughed softly. “You’ve our whole trip to show me how many ways exactly.” She said softly, drawing lazy circles on the back of Dylan’s shirt. Rolling her eyes, Bridget huffed out a breath like it was some big deal to have to change her ways, even for the week. “Oh fine, I’ll get out my handbook and make a note later.” She said dryly. Already she could feel the blood rushing to her head and knew the second she was set on her feet away her face would be flushed right red. Immediately and without thought, Bridget’s hands moved up to grip Dylan’s shirt, smiling as she tipped her head back to look at the Irishman. She smiled into his kiss. “I guess I get more shoes then.” She started to say against Dylan’s lips. “I might even need some new shelves for them.” It was probably excessive but she had plenty of pairs of shoes and she hated when one of her little monster made one their new chew toy. Her dogs were great but like any dog, they enjoyed their chew toys. So she kept her shoes in shoeboxes with pictures of each pair on the outside so she didn’t have to go looking through a dozen boxes before she found the exact heels she wanted.

To Bee was nervous driving to Dylan’s Aunt’s house would have been an understatement. But now that she was there and the initial meeting was out of the way, she was breathing a little easier than before. She had been looking forward to this meeting since Dylan mentioned there was no way of getting out of it but at the same time, she had been so worried she would say the wrong thing or do something that sent them into a frenzy of hate towards her. Her thoughts didn’t help with the overactive imagination she had thanks to all those books she read. Bridget looked up at Dylan with a raised brow and amusement brightening her blue eyes. This was one of the main reasons she was excited to visit; hearing all about the side of Dylan he hadn’t yet told her about. Smiling Bridget leaned into Dylan’s side for a minute, trying to steal a little bit of his calm before righting herself again as the two little ones rushed through. Unable to help herself, Bridget laughed shaking her head. “I knew you were a troublemaker.”

Tag || Dylan! <3
Words ||542
Clothes || Pretty Fool
Music || Mirrors --Justin Timberlake
Notes || <3

[Dylan Ellis Griffin]

He had no intention of dropping to bended knee just yet. It was much too early in the relationship, even if he had known Bridget for years before any of this happened between them. Plus, why rush? He finally had Bridget after so long of ignoring his feelings because of other outside factors. The last thing he wanted to do was to mess that up by skipping a couple of steps in the middle. “I would have a say! I’ve been dreamin’ of my weddin’ day since I was a wee boy.”

[/color] He said dramatically, clutching his hand to his heart and sighing wistfully. In truth, he knew he did want the wife and the family and he wanted to be involved in all of the things that came with that, but the details? Dylan couldn’t exactly say he had considered centrepieces and flower choices. Even when his ma had married Justin he hadn’t been there to offer opinions. He just went along with what she liked and helped keep things organised whenever chaos began to descend.

“There will be some to save for New York, too.”[/color] He promised teasingly, leaning in to nip at her bottom lip while he still could, while they didn’t have to move just yet for the day ahead. What had started out as a promised tour of Ireland had turned into a romantic escape before they had even left Las Vegas. It hadn’t been Dylan’s intention for it to go that way, but the last thing he was about to do now was complain. Bringing Bridget here often came to mind whenever they spoke about their travels or memories and he would be lying if he said he had never lightly thought about bringing her here as his girlfriend. He just didn’t think it would have happened quite the way it did. “You just want me in your bedroom.”[/color] He grinned, acting as though he knew what her real plan was; and it didn’t involve shelves. Dylan knew he was being terrible, but he didn’t care. It was damn well about time that he got to joke around with Bridget like this without worrying about dates, ex-relationships, or anyone thinking the wrong thing about their situation.

Dylan knew his family wouldn’t have a bad thing to say about Bee. They were a hyperactive bunch who were always loud and rambunctious, but they had big hearts. The only time you didn’t want to cross them was if you hurt one of their own. Then they turned into monsters with no fears about getting into something only an excellent lawyer could get them out of. Dylan knew Bridget wouldn’t land herself in that much trouble on the first meeting. Laughing, he shook his head. “It wasn’t me! It was Freddie! He was the terror. I was just dealin’ with his messes.”[/color] It was still very much that way now. It wasn’t a typical month in Dylan’s life without the lighter haired Griffin showing up at his door around 4am to tell him how bad he had messed up this time. Being the big brother he was, Dylan only ever sighed, warned Freddie about being so stupid and then set about repairing the damage impulse had often caused. “Aye, but he only ever did it because he knew you were there to help.” His aunt said knowingly, shooting Dylan a pointed look. Maybe if he did land himself in trouble and Dylan hadn’t helped it would make Freddie act a little more responsibly. The Irishman just wasn’t the kind to sit back and do nothing though. It was in his nature to heal, mend and help those who needed it from him.
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• • •

TAGGED! Bee! <3
WORDS! 657!
OUTFIT! Kiss Me, I’m Irish!
LYRICS! You Had Me From Hello - - - Bon Jovi
NOTES! <3