"Kids! Breakfast!" Tom yelled up the steps to Ashley and Sam. They'd only been home a couple of weeks, but things were starting to feel a little more normal. Tom had taken some time off to be with them, but not before accepting a promotion and new position at the academy, which he would return to in just a few weeks. "Mornin' Dad!" Ashley said, making her way to the table. He was so happy to see her smile again. Sam wasn't far behind, still groggy and half asleep, his "morning, dad..." just barely audible, but said with a smile. They didn't have any big plans for the day, just to spend some quality time together.
Up the street, Sasha's morning started a little differently. She still wasn't sleeping well at night. Nightmares and flashbacks haunting her dreams. Something she was not familiar with. In all she'd been through in her life, she'd never dealt with anything like this. Well, except for the "what if" dreams that plagued her years ago during her time at the academy, after she and Tom had chosen to end their relationship and move on, even though it wasn't what either of them really wanted. It had taken weeks for those dreams to stop after they went their separate ways, but even those didn't compare to these. She tried to relax, and just as she dozed off, a knock at the door startled her awake.
It was Tom. He'd come over to check on her as he had almost every day the last couple of weeks. Deep down he knew she was still struggling, even though she didn't dare let it show. He understood how she felt inside...he'd been in a very similar place not long before. When she opened the door, he could see that she was shaking and immediately felt bad, knowing he had startled her. This time, he didn't wait for her permission to enter like he had the days before, he just walked in and wrapped her in a tight hug. Tom had kept his distance, being around to talk and make sure she was ok, but not pushing anything else. As bad as he wanted to, he knew things had to move slow if there was any chance for them to work out, especially after all they had both been through. This was the first time he decided to take the chance, to not just be there in the room with her, but to hold her. Would she push him away or accept his embrace? He didn't know, but it was a chance he wanted to take.
At first, Sasha didn't know what to do. Tom's embrace was almost enough to push her over the edge and let the dams burst, but she couldn't let him see that side of her. She was strong, she would get through this. But she didn't push him away, she couldn't...a part of her just wasn't that strong, not anymore. Instead, she wrapped her arms around him and held on tight while pushing the tears back with everything she had. Tom knew she was on edge and was trying to stay strong. He could feel it as he held her. He knew, when she was ready, she would talk to him. For now, he would just be there for her, however she needed him. Sasha didn't realize it before, but in that moment she needed him to hold her. For a moment, a feeling of peace she'd been searching for seemed within reach.
When they finally released each other, Sasha invited him in. She fixed them both a cup of coffee and they sat down, side by side on the couch. In the last couple of weeks, they'd sat just like this several times at different places, but neither saying much of anything. They'd watch the kids play, talk about the weather or how Tom's kids were doing, listen to the birds, or just listen to each others hearts beat. But today was going to be different. Tom was determined to talk, or at least ask that one burning question.
As he sat there beside her, he remembered that day back on the Nathan James, hours after they'd gotten everyone back to safety and patched up, there they both stood on deck, watching the sun set. "But at least we're getting a fresh start" Tom not only talking about America, but them. When she replied "Fresh start sounds like a good plan..." before allowing a gentle smile to come across her face, then touching his cheek so tenderly it felt like an angel's touch, he believed that she too believed they were getting another chance, and that, just maybe, this time would be the right time.
Tom looked at Sasha, took a sip of coffee, and inhaled deeply as he sat his cup down. "I was wondering," Tom said, hesitating just a bit before he continued... "would you like to go out for dinner tonight? Just the two of us? Danny and Kara said the kids could hang out with them. I think they like the idea of having someone else there to entertain Frankie for a little while." Sasha giggled at the thought, but knew he was probably right. She sat quiet for a few minutes, rubbing her fingers across her cup. He couldn't read her face and started to worry maybe he shouldn't have asked that question. After what seemed like an eternity, Sasha sat down her cup and took a deep breath…