Taylor loves old movies.
That's something Eric learned their first Christmas together when she'd insisted on watching "White Christmas."
"You can't have Christmas without Bing Crosby!" she'd said.
So they had sat on his couch, eating some leftovers Alyssa had brought over, and watched her favorite Christmas movie. She sang along and all he could do was watch her with the same amused and ever so slightly lovesick look that he had when he first let her see his Quantum Defender.
On their third Christmas together, he knew it would be the same as the past two: leftovers and old movies. Both "White Christmas" and "A Charlie Brown Christmas" were a must every year. Sometimes it was even Hallmark movies or "The Santa Clause" or some other random children's Christmas movie.
He'd asked her why she loved them so much. He would've pegged Max, Danny, or Alyssa for Christmas movie marathons, but not Taylor.
"'White Christmas' was my mom's favorite," she'd replied. "We watched it every year; even after she died. She loved Christmas in general, and was especially obsessed with nutcrackers. They were all over the house come Christmas time. Everyone called it a 'Nutcracker Explosion.' I think my dad still has them all somewhere."
He then knew exactly what to get her.
That entire December, he'd searched everywhere for the perfect gift. Well, gifts. It took Wes's and Alyssa's help, as well as a call to Samuel Earhardt, but by the twentieth, he had them.
The first two were a blonde Air Force nutcracker with "Earhardt" embroidered on it and a black haired Silver Guardians nutcracker. Both had been handmade by someone Wes apparently knew. Eric had given the couple that made them, and kind of looked like Santa and Mrs. Claus, a photo of Taylor in her flight suit and one of himself in his uniform. They turned out perfect.
The final thing he had was a gold ring with a princess cut garnet flanked on either side by yellow diamonds. He had noticed that she had small fingers, but didn't know the size. So, he was grateful that Alyssa had somehow known Taylor's ring size. How? He had no clue.
It was Christmas Eve, 2004. Eric had the nutcrackers wrapped and set under the tree she'd helped him decorate a few weeks before. He was currently on the phone with Wes.
"Don't be scared. What's the worst she could do? Say no?" his best friend said.
"She could deck me and leave me to die," Eric replied.
"Oh, yeah. That's right. This is an insane woman we're talking about."
"Don't call her that."
"She punched Cole the first time she met him."
"She punched me after we went on the Serpentera mission. Your point?"
"She had a reason to that time! Jen punched me, too!"
There was a knock on the door.
"Tay's here. Gotta go!" Eric said.
"Good luck, Q-Rex!"
"Shut up," Eric ended the call and opened the door. Taylor usually just walked right in, but when he saw that her hands were full, he instantly know why she'd knocked. He helped her with the boxes she was holding and gave the former yellow ranger a quick kiss before shutting the door.
"So, what's the movie tonight?" he asked, putting the boxes under the tree. Wes, Jen, Mr. Collins, Alyssa, and Cole were set to come over the next day. At this point, Eric and Taylor were the only two not married out of the three couples.
Taylor handed him a VHS tape. "'Neptune's Daughter.'"
"'Neptune's Daughter?'" he asked.
"'Aquatic dancer Eve Barrett, now partnered with Joe Backett in a swimsuit design company, tries to prevent her sister, Betty, from falling in love with Jose O'Rourke, a suave South American polo player. Unbeknownst to Eve, Betty has actually fallen for Jack Spratt, a masseuse who is posing as Jose. To protect her sister, Eve finds the real Jose, agrees to a date and also falls in love,'" she read. "I found it the other day and wanted to watch it. It's the movie that "Baby, It's Cold Outside" is from."
"Is it a Christmas movie?"
"No."
"You just wanted to watch it?"
"Yes."
Eric laughed.
"What?" Taylor asked with a smile as she heated up some food.
"Nothing, babe," he said as he wrapped his arms around her from behind.
"Babe?"
Eric wordlessly kissed her neck in response.
"Eric Eugene Myers!" she slapped his hand, but he could feel her leaning into his touch.
He smirked. She liked it; she was just too stubborn and prideful to admit it. He then decided to gently bite at her neck.
Taylor moaned softly but quickly got ahold of herself. "Stop it or you don't get any cookies."
"Stubborn woman," he muttered then looked at her. "Cookies?"
She slipped out of his arms and opened a cookie tin. "They're not chocolate chip because no one can beat Wes's. They're white and dark chocolate coconut oatmeal craisin. My mom used to make them every Christmas."
Eric raised an eyebrow.
"They're good! Just try one!"
"What are craisins?"
"Dried cranberries."
"In a cookie?"
"They're better than raisins."
"You sure about that?"
Taylor took a cookie out of the tin and shoved it into his mouth.
Eric took what he could out of his mouth so that he wouldn't choke and ate the rest. "Hm."
"Good?"
He ate the rest of the cookie and pinned his girlfriend between himself and the counter. "Horrible. Absolutely disgusting."
"Disgusting?"
"Worst thing I've ever tasted," Eric smirked and leaned in to kiss her when the microwave beeped, prompting Taylor to duck under his arm in order to get her food. "Oh, come on!"
Taylor laughed. "Better get your own if you don't want to miss the movie!"
"I'll get you for that!" the Quantum ranger laughed as he fixed his own plate.
"Have fun trying!" Taylor raced to the living room and put in the VHS tape before settling down on the couch.
After his food was warmed up, Eric sat down beside his girlfriend. "So, how have things been? Haven't seen you for a few days."
"Things on base have been hectic. So many people going home for the holidays." Taylor smiled at him. "I guess I'm lucky that my home doesn't live too far away."
He kissed her and they finished their food in silence. Taylor watching the movie and Eric watching Taylor. Once they were both done, he took their plates and put them in the sink. After quickly checking to make sure the ring box was still in his pocket, the nervous Quantum ranger grabbed the cookie tin and set it on the coffee table before sitting back down next to the pilot. Instinctively, his arm wrapped around her, and instantly, her head was on his shoulder. He couldn't help but smile softly as he watched his blonde girlfriend.
Suddenly, Taylor sat up and Eric looked at her questioningly.
"On second thought," she said with the movie. Eric smirked. He knew what she was doing. "I really can't stay."
Eric grabbed her hand, "Baby, it's cold outside."
Taylor smiled. "I've got to go away."
"But Baby, it's cold outside."
"This evening has been."
"Been hoping that you'd drop in."
"So very nice."
He took both her hands in his. "I'll hold your hands, they're just like ice."
She stood up. "My mother will start to worry."
He copied her. "Beautiful, what's your hurry?"
She crossed her arms. "My father will be pacing the floor."
"Listen to the fireplace roar."
Taylor turned to the door. "So really I'd better scurry."
Eric took her arm. "Beautiful, please don't hurry."
She sat back down. "Well maybe just a half a drink more."
He sat beside her. "Put some records on while I pour."
She turned to him. "The neighbors might think."
"But Baby, it's bad out there."
"Say, what's in this drink?"
"No cabs to be had out there."
"I wish I knew how."
He looked her in the eye. "Your eyes are like stars right now.
"To break this spell."
He pushed a stand of her hair behind her ear. "I'll take your hat, your hair looks swell."
"I ought to say no, no, no Sir."
"Mind if I move in closer?"
"At least I'm going to say that I tried."
"What's the sense of hurting my pride?"
"I really can't stay."
"Baby, don't hold out."
He gently pinned her to the couch as they sang together. "Baby, it's cold outside."
Taylor once again slipped from his grasp. "I simply must go."
Eric stood back up. "Baby, it's cold outside."
Taylor turned to him. "The answer is No."
"But, Baby, it's cold outside."
"This welcome has been."
"How lucky that you dropped in."
"So nice and warm."
"Look out the window at that storm."
"My sister will be suspicious."
He smiled at her. "Your lips look delicious."
"My brother will be there at the door."
"Waves upon a tropical shore."
Taylor was smiling. "My maiden aunt's mind is vicious."
"Gosh, your lips are delicious!"
She shrugged. "Well, maybe just a cigarette more."
"Never such a blizzard before."
"I've got to get home!"
"But Baby, you'd freeze out there!"
"Say, lend me a comb."
"It's up to your knees out there!"
"You've really been grand."
"I thrill when you touch my hand."
"But don't you see?"
"How can you do this thing to me?"
"There's bound to be talk tomorrow."
"Think of my life long sorrow."
"At least there will plenty implied."
"If you caught pneumonia and died."
"I really can't stay!"
"Get over that old doubt!"
They fell back on the couch. "Baby, it's cold outside." They shared a sweet kiss then laughed, neither caring about the second half of the song with the other two main characters.
After their giggle fit, they cuddled back together on the old couch and Eric wrapped them both in the fluffy red and yellow blanket she'd gotten him the year before.
When the movie ended, Eric shut off the tv and Taylor looked at him.
"I have something for you," he said.
"You do?"
He went over to the Christmas tree and picked up the box before settling back down beside her and handing it to her.
"This is big," she said, unwrapping it. When Taylor opened the box, the first thing she saw was a white envelope in the midst of yellow and red tissue paper. She opened it and found a handmade card with a drawing of her Eaglezord and his Q-Rex on it. "Eric," she trailed off and opened the card.
Taylor,
From the moment you sped into my life, I couldn't take my mind of you. No matter how hard I tried. I promise you. I tried. When I went on the Serpentera Mission with the other Reds was when I knew I wanted to be with you. Every Cog I took out. Every shot I fired. I thought of you and how, if I could just get home, I'd ask you out. And I did. Took long enough. These past three years have been the best of my life. Since I've been with you, I've learned more about myself than I ever thought possible. I now know what true love feels like.
Fly high, Soaring Eagle
Eric
Taylor was both laughing and tearing up when she finished reading. "Eric," she said again. She gasped as she pulled out her nutcracker lookalike. "How did you?"
"Wes knows a guy."
"Of course he does!" she laughed. She pulled out the other nutcracker. "Eric!"
Eric smiled at her.
She noticed the name on hers and messed with it, pulling it off in the process, revealing "Myers" underneath. "Eric!" she gasped and turned to him to see that he'd gotten down on one knee and was holding open a box, revealing the ring.
"Tay, I meant every word I wrote. The trying to forget you part, too." Taylor laughed and Eric smiled as he continued, "you're stubborn, prideful, hotheaded, tough, beautiful, funny, kind. I wouldn't have it any other way. There's times that it feels like I'm fighting myself, we're so much alike. But you bring out a side of me I didn't even know existed. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I'd be dancing around my living room singing 'Baby, It's Cold Outside' with the love of my life and enjoying myself. You are my best friend. Taylor Melina Earhardt, will you marry me?"
Taylor was completely in tears as she stared at the dark haired man in front of her, pouring his heart out, looking almost angelic in the glow from the fireplace heater and the Christmas lights. She nodded. "Yes!"
Eric let out a sigh of relief as he slipped the ring into her finger and sat back down beside her. "It's not a ruby, only a garnet."
"Rubies are overrated. It reminds me of my mother's purity ring. She used to let me wear it and I was the one who got it when she died. It was a princess cut garnet, too." She smiled at him and kissed him, gently at first, then slowly getting deeper.
He pushed her onto her back and climbed on top of her, effectively pinning her to the couch. He then proceeded to kiss her neck again.
"Eric," she moaned and pushed against his chest. "Stop."
He frowned, but did as she asked and looked at her confused.
"Thank you," she said breathlessly. "You don't know how many guys I've had to fight off because they didn't listen to me."
"Tay, if you don't want it, you don't want it. They have no right to keep going."
Taylor smiled and ran her fingers through his hair. "This is why I love you."
Eric gave her a soft kiss and sighed. "There were so many guys at that prep school who bragged about doing that to women. I never understood it. I'm glad I didn't. Because if I had, I would probably be in prison and wouldn't have you."
Taylor smiled. "I'm glad, too. I hate those kinds of guys."
"Me, too." He kissed her again. "You know, I'm in the perfect position."
"For what?"
"To do this!" he tickled her.
"Ah!" she screamed as she tried to push him away.
They were both laughing their heads off.
"I yield!" Taylor finally yelled and kissed Eric.
He kissed back, then settled down behind her, kissing her cheek.
"I love you, Soaring Eagle."
"I love you, too, Q-Rex."
Merry Christmas, everyone! Or happy whatever it is that you celebrate!
As always, please R and tell me if you want more!
Anyway, I just wanted to tell what I got for an early Christmas present! Mini MMPR helmets signed by David, ASJ, JDF, Karan, and Walter, a MMPR pink ranger action figure signed by Amy Jo, and a green ranger action figure that my cousin got signed by JDF when he met him! My best friend and I were freaking out!
May the Power protect you!