DISCLAIMER: You know that these characters aren't mine, except for Tara.
SUMMARY: Tommy's being extremely protective of Tara and keeping her really close while trying to keep an eye out for the guy who'd been stalking Kimberly.
A/N: Okay guys. I'm giving you the option. I have a new story waiting in the wings. You guys tell me if you want to read it. I don't know if I should post it yet or not.
A/N 2: This chapter is a little more mature than the others have been but it's not too bad. You've been warned.
Tommy sat at the table nearest the stage at the Cyber Café waiting for Tara, Jason, and Kim to arrive. He couldn't wait to see what Tara was dressed as.
Adjusting his hat to slightly cover his eyes, he leaned back in his chair, watching the people milling around the place dressed as if they had just stepped out of the history books.
Kim and Jason were pulling up in front of the local hang-out with Tara in the back seat when she suddenly froze. She had never been outside dressed like this before and she wasn't sure if Tommy was going to like it.
Kim had found her an outfit making her look like a Native American. It was white doeskin with fringe along the skirt and soft moccasins. Kim had braided her hair and left it hanging down her back which she made her look like a white captive who'd been adopted by the tribe that took her.
The tension she felt began to melt away as Jason took her hand and helped her out of the car before wrapping a jacket around her shoulders. "It's a little chilly tonight, sissy." He smiled down at her as he walked both her and Kimberly inside.
The former Ranger felt his breath catch in his throat as he watched Kim and Jason walk in with Tara between them. She was so gorgeous!
He stood up as they approached the table. "Good evening folks. Would you care to share a table with me? It appears to be a bit crowded in here tonight."
"Why thank you, sir. It's mighty courteous of you to offer such a thing," Kimberly gushed, staying in character as Calamity Kimberly. Hayley had warned her about Tommy's costume. She just hadn't quite prepared herself for the memories that would be stirred up by it.
Jason had noticed his girlfriend's start and the look in her eyes. He immediately steered Tara to the seat closest to his old friend and had Kimberly sit next to her, trying to give her a chance to compose herself. He noticed that Tommy nodded to him slightly.
Tara noticed the look on Kim's face and bowed her head for a moment, not looking straight at Tommy. Being the man that he was, Tommy hooked the young lady's chin and pulled her eyes to meet his. "You look beautiful tonight, Tara," he whispered, just before his lips met hers in a tender kiss.
Kim looked over at Jason and smiled, telling him with one look that she was his and his alone.
Tommy and Tara had been inseparable all night. They had danced together and sat together. He had held her hand and held her close in his arms. She had become more comfortable as the night wore on and Tommy wanted to do nothing more than to spirit her away and wrap her in his arms forever.
Just as midnight approached, Tommy leaned over and whispered into her ear. "Are you ready to leave?"
Tara nodded and the two of them slipped out of the café with only Hayley seeing them go.
Tommy had driven straight to his house, since most of Tara's things were there. Jason wasn't aware of the fact that Tara had all but moved into Tommy's house over the past two weeks. Or that she was still sleeping in the same bed as he was.
The two of them walked up the stairs, holding hands. Once in the bedroom, Tara turned to Tommy and their lips met again.
Tommy pulled her into him tightly so that he could feel her pressed against him. His tongue swept across her lips and she opened for him. As his hands cupped her bottom, he tried to remind himself that this was a young lady who had never done this sort of thing before.
But when she moaned into his open mouth and stroked her own tongue across his, all of his good intentions fled. He pulled back for just a moment and looked down at her face. "Tara, are you sure about this?"
"Tommy, I have never been sure about anything in my life. Until now." She stepped back from him for a moment and then reached out and started unbuttoning his shirt. He simply stood still and allowed her to explore at her own pace.
As she smoothed her hands over his chest, she marveled at the smooth feel of his skin. She pressed a kiss to his chest.
Giving her the freedom to explore his body was a sweet torture for Tommy. He knew that he would get his turn to explore her later. For right now he just wanted her to be comfortable.
Tommy held Tara gently in his arms. They had fallen asleep like that, with her back to his front and his arms wrapped around her. They had both been so exhausted that they didn't even bother to put any clothes on afterward.
He woke up at one point and pulled her to him a little tighter. "I could get used to this," he whispered in her ear.
"So could I," she murmured in her sleep.
The next morning was Sunday and Jason came knocking at Tommy's door. He and Kim wanted to go to the park for a picnic with the couple.
When he got no answer, Jason opened the door and walked into the house. "Tommy? Tara?"
He walked around the house, hoping to find his friend and his sister without waking them. When he didn't find anyone on the first floor, he headed upstairs.
Without even knocking, he walked into Tommy's bedroom to be stopped dead in his tracks.
Seeing his sister curled up in Tommy's arms wasn't the problem. It was seeing their costumes all over the floor as if thrown off in a hurry. Seeing his sister's naked shoulders above the covers and Tommy's shoulders behind her, just as bare, disturbed him more than he could say.
"WHAT IN THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?!?" he bellowed, waking both of them.
Tara's eyes flew open. She saw her brother standing there with a look of --- she didn't know what to call it. Rolling over she burrowed her head in Tommy's chest as he met Jason's eyes. "Jason, maybe you should wait downstairs." Tommy's voice was calm as he stroked Tara's hair. "We'll be down in a bit."
Jason turned and stormed away, slamming the door behind him. Tara raised her head to look into Tommy's eyes.
"J-J-Jason's angry." The tears in her eyes nearly broke his heart.
"He'll get over it. I'm going to go down and talk to him. Why don't you catch a quick shower and I'll talk to Jason for a bit?"
She nodded and slipped out of the bed, trudging off to the bathroom with her head down.
Tommy waited until she had closed the door behind her. Then, he stood up and slipped on a pair of pajama bottoms before heading downstairs to face his friend.
Tommy had no sooner walked into the kitchen then Jason laid into him. "What in the hell do you think you were doing? I warned you about being careful with my sister."
"Jason, she made the decision. We're both adults and we can both make our own decisions."
"She is an adult and she can make her own decisions. But, man, she has no experience with guys. She doesn't know how most guys are."
"Jason, I'm not most guys. She's upstairs crying because you're upset. She nearly started crying before she went in to take a shower." Tommy took a deep breath. "Do you realize what you've done to her? She's heartbroken that she might have hurt you. She doesn't want to come down here and face you, thinking that she's disappointed you."
"Tommy, she hasn't disappointed me. I'm just scared that she's gonna get hurt."
"Jase, you should know me better than that. I love your sister, man. I love her so much that not being close to her drives me crazy." He sat down at the table. "When I woke up in the middle of the night with her like that in my arms, it just felt so right being there with her."
Tara finished her shower with tears running down her face. She sat down on the bed. She rested her head in her hands. Her shoulders shook with heavy sobs.
She took a deep breath; she knew that it was time to face Jason.
Slipping on a pair of pants, she stood up only to feel the room spin around her. She sat back down on the bed hard.
"I need to get down there." She stood up and walked to the door. Stumbling as she reached for the door, she caught herself and pulled open the door.
Out on the landing, Tara found her knees weakening. "Tommy. Jason." The words came out as mere whispers to her ears. Her eyes closed and she fell to the floor.
Tommy and Jason were sitting at the table when they heard the soft thump. Tommy was the first out of the kitchen. He flew up the stairs with Jason directly behind him.
Both of them pulled up short when they saw the crumpled form at the top of the stairs. Kim was kneeling beside Tara, brushing the hair from her face. "Tara? Tara, wake up."
Tommy knelt beside the young woman opposite Kimberly. He gathered his lover into his arms and cradled her gently. He buried his face in her hair. "Come on, honey. We need you to wake up now."
Jason knelt beside Kimberly and draped an arm around her shoulders. "What happened, Kim?"
She turned into his shoulder with tears streaming down her face. "She stumbled out onto the landing and then she just crumpled. She had tears on her cheeks and she looked pale." Looking up at Tommy, she couldn't help asking. "You two didn't, did you?"
"Kim, now is not the time for this discussion. We need to take care of Tara first. We can talk later." He brushed his lips against the young woman's temple. "Hey, beautiful, time to wake up."
Tears filled her eyes as Kim heard the words come from Tommy's lips. She remembered him saying those very words to her several years ago. Jason's lips brushed his girlfriend's face.
Tara stirred as her eyes fluttered open. "Tommy?"
He pulled her tighter into his arms and smiled into her hair. "I'm right here, Tara. Right here."