DISCLAIMER: Read previous chapters. I own Meredith.
GONE
Tommy knocked on the door to his sister and Rocky's apartment. Rocky opened the door and Tommy followed him inside. "What's up, bro," Rocky asked.
"I need to talk about something. You willing to listen," Tommy asked, tossing his jacket on the bench by the front door.
"Sure. Meri's talking to my mom. You want something to drink," Rocky asked.
"I need a beer," he said.
Rocky took three out of the fridge and handed one to his friend. Meredith came down the stairs to meet the guys in the kitchen. Rocky handed her the extra beer. "Wow, this must be big," Meredith said, opening the bottle and taking a drink.
"Yep," Tommy said, drinking his also. The three went into the living room. Meredith sat on the couch and turned to face her brother. Rocky sat next to Meredith on the chaise part of the sofa.
"OK, bro, spill it," Meredith said. Tommy took another long drink from his beer and swallowed. He looked at his sister and told her all about his evening.
"Dr. Mercer offered me a position as his assistant. He wants me to run his private lab on his island," Tommy said.
"Tommy, that's awesome," Meredith said, excitement for her brother clear.
"Yeah, but the island is off the coast of New Zealand. I'd be there for nine months," Tommy said. Meredith's shoulders dropped.
"Nine months? Away from Siobhan and Kimberly…me. That's kind of rough," Meredith said.
"That does sound like a long time, but you'd get to come home for a few weeks, right," Rocky said, trying to cheer everyone up.
"I guess I'd get a few weeks off in the middle, but it's a research position. If the research is taking off before my break, I won't be able to leave. It's possible I won't see anyone until the nine months are over," he said.
"Could we come to see you," Meredith asked.
"I don't know. Maybe. Again it's all dependant upon the way the research is going at that particular time. I can't be certain I'd be able to visit with anyone if that happens," Tommy said. "Is this a big deal," Meredith asked. She didn't understand anything about Tommy's career and all that entailed.
"Yeah. Especially since I'd be Mercer's assistant when the project is finished which means I'd be a VP in his company," Tommy said.
"What exactly is his company," Rocky asked.
"It's a research company that also sponsors digs. Some of the biggest finds of late have been found by Anton and his selected group of paleontologists. It's a prestige thing in my field," Tommy said.
"What if you don't take the position," Meredith asked. "I could teach high school," Tommy said, finishing his beer and giving his sister a sheepish smile.
"Basically if you want to work as a paleontologist you have to hook up with one of those companies? What about teaching at a university," Meredith asked.
"No matter how you look at it, I have to do field work even if I decide to stay in the classroom. I could probably get a position that was closer to home. Maybe a director for an exhibit at a museum," Tommy said.
"Is this something you want to do," Meredith asked.
"Yeah, but my relationship with Kim is just getting back to where we might actually have a shot at being together and raising our daughter together. I don't know what to do," Tommy said.
"Ask Kim," Meredith said. "Ask her what exactly? I want to know if she wants to try again. If she does, I'd give up the chance to work for Mercer. I'd stay behind and build a life with her and teach high school," Tommy said.
"So tell her that," she said. Tommy looked at his sister and gave her a look. "See if she is willing to move forward with the relationship. See if she's willing to get back together. If she is, then you have your answer. If she isn't sure, then maybe you need to put some physical space between the two of you. Maybe those nine months would be the perfect time for you two to see if you really want to be together and be a family. Maybe that's what you guys need," Meredith said. "We just spent a year apart, Meri and look what happened," Tommy pointed out. "That was because you were trying to protect her," Meredith said.
"Then there is still the threat to Kim. If I decide to take this job, who's going to protect my family? That's my job," he said.
"Tommy, you know that Jason and I will look out for Kim and Siobhan. Plus there's how many other former rangers within driving distance. She'd be protected whether she knows it or not," Rocky said.
"No. No. I won't have you guys doing that. No, I'm going to go to Kim's right now and tell her I want to be with her and I'll call Anton in the morning and tell him I'm not taking the position," Tommy said. "
She's not going to like that," Meredith said.
"You think so," Tommy asked. Meredith shot her brother a knowing look. Tommy hung his head. "Well, I'm going to try," he said.
"Well, don't let the Oliver pride get in the way," Rocky said.
"What are you talking about," Tommy asked.
"You have a tendency to let your pride do the talking. I'm just telling you not to let that get in the way of what you and Kimberly have to do and that's provide a healthy environment for your daughter," Rocky said. The siblings stared at Rocky. Tommy got off the sofa and walked toward the door.
"I'm going to Kim's. I'm going to tell her I want to be with her and we have to move in that direction," he said.
"And if she shoots you down because you've given her an ultimatum, you're going to go to island," Meredith said. Tommy just smiled and walked out the door. Meredith was left sitting on the couch not knowing what he was going to do.
"I just hope it goes OK," she said to Rocky.
"It will be fine if he doesn't take your advise and go off to the island if she says no," he said. "What do you mean," she asked her husband.
"I don't think you can push those two into something before they're ready. Kimberly was hurt and she's probably just now starting to trust Tommy again. Forcing her to make a decision isn't a good way to build a relationship. If he tells her 'get back together or I'm leaving for nine months' isn't going to help. She's going to resent him and that's the exact opposite of what you want him to do," Rocky said.
"So I should do what then," she asked her husband.
"Stay out of it. I know Tommy and you share pretty much everything and you're Kim's best friend, but you need to let them live their own lives. I love you, but sometimes you think you can save the world," Rocky said.
"I just want Tommy to be happy," Meredith said.
"I know, but you can't keep fixing things for him. If this blows up in his face, who's he going to turn to? You. He's either going to hang onto you for dear life or he's going to hate you for ruining his life. I love you're brother, but I didn't marry him. I married you," Rocky said, wrapping his arms around his wife.
Meredith got very quiet as she digested his words. She nodded her head and Rocky took it as agreement with his statements. They put their bottles in the recycling box and went upstairs to bed.
Tommy drove to Kim's house determined to put his family back together. He was going to tell Kimberly that he wanted her back; that he wanted to have a family with her and Siobhan and any other children they were blessed with. She was it for him and she needed to know that. He parked in the driveway and knocked softly on the door. Kimberly answered it wearing a pink bathrobe and carrying a mug of what smelled like hot chocolate. "Still drinking that when you're stressed," he asked, smiling at her as he entered the living room.
"You know me too well," she said as she shut the door behind him. "I thought you were going to call."
"I have something big to talk to you about," he said. "OK. Let's go in the living room," she said. Tommy followed her and sat in a chair next to the sofa. Kim placed her mug on the coffee table and directed her attention to Tommy. "What's up," she asked.
"I love you. I've never stopped and, although I know I hurt you, I want to be back with you. It's the only thing I can think about. I want to come home from work and have dinner with you and Siobhan. I want to give her a bath and put her to bed and know that you're waiting for me in our room; that she won't be moving to your house the next night. I want to be with you. I want to marry you," he said.
Kimberly was shocked by his admission. She knew he still loved her because she still loved him. She just wasn't prepared for him to confess to wanting to marry her. She got up from the couch and started pacing the floor. Tommy turned in the chair to follow her pacing. She thought about the last few months and how wonderful they had been. Tommy had been a wonderful father to his daughter and had given Kimberly the space she needed. He showed the proper amount of concern regarding her and their daughter. She was slowly letting her guard down with him, but she wasn't sure she was ready for a step as big as marriage just yet. She wasn't even sure she was ready for them to move in together. She had spoken with Andros and they were still trying to isolate the threat to her and Siobhan, but since Tommy was around most of the time, nothing even remotely suspicious had happened. Still, she wasn't ready to let her guard down and let him own her heart all the way.
"Tommy, I love you and I do see us getting married in the future, but this is just a bit too sudden for me," she said, locking eyes with him. She saw his spirit crack as she said those words. The hopeful expression he'd had on his face, changed. He looked at the floor, then back at her.
"You love me, but you don't want to marry me now. Why," he asked.
"I'm still trying to get over what happened. I know why you did it, OK. I get that. I'm just having a hard time getting those words out of my head. Especially the part about Jason and me. You know I wouldn't have done that unless I was under a spell, but you still threw it in my face. I want to marry you so badly. I want to have a family with you, but I'm not there yet, Tommy," she said, tears filling her eyes, her voice cracking.
Tommy was quiet for a minute. His silence scared Kimberly. She was afraid he'd walk out of the door and not return. She was afraid he'd walk out of her life, only to return for visits with his daughter. She didn't know if she could handle that after having him back in her life. "Anton offered me a position on his island doing research. I'd be his assistant and in charge of all research on the island," he said in a monotone.
"That's wonderful," Kim said, not knowing the bombshell he was going to drop on them.
"It's a nine month position on the island. I'd live there and, provided research didn't get in the way, I'd be able to come home for a few weeks during that time. It's also off the coast of New Zealand," Tommy said. It took a good ten seconds after Tommy finished speaking before the words actually hit her. Tommy was going away for nine months to New Zealand and he might not get to come home for planned breaks.
"I was planning on turning it down so I could build a future with you, but I'm thinking maybe we should have some physical distance between us. We can talk, write, email and video conference while I'm away so I can keep up with Siobhan's development," he said. He got up off the couch and walked toward the front door.
"I'll come back for Siobhan's first birthday and stay for a few days. I'll get you the contact information and let you know before I leave. I love you, but I can't put my life on hold because you say you're eventually going to want to marry me. I hate like hell that this means leaving my daughter, but since you had my sister tell me about her existence, then there's nothing I can do. Rocky and Jason will watch you and Siobhan, just in case this threat decides to come after you in my absence," he said. He walked toward her and kissed her, hoping he'd let her know how passionately he loved her and wanted her.
He turned and went to Siobhan's room. "I love you more than my life Siobhan, but I need to think. I love you mom and want to be with you both, but she doesn't want that right now and the pain is too great. I'll always be with you and I'll see you soon," he whispered to his sleeping angel. He kissed the top of her head and then kissed his fingertips and placed them over her heart. Two tears slid off his face and landed on her blankets. He sniffed and headed out of her room, passing Kimberly in the hall.
She was openly sobbing, feeling like her heart had, again, been ripped out of her chest. Seeing Tommy say that to their daughter made her want to go after him, but hearing the click of the door, told her it was over. She ran to her bedroom and watched Tommy head to his car. She saw him turn around and catch her eye from the ground. He blew a kiss to her window and hopped in his car and drove away. She collapsed on her bed and began to cry.
***Is Tommy going to leave? Is Kimberly going to try to stop him? Anyone hearing a big 'I told you so' coming? You shall soon see.*** -mereditholiver