Mike POV

"Look, all I'm saying is..." I sighed as my toast was stolen. "Tracy, are you even listening to me?"

Tracy gave me a smile as she took a bite of the slice, taking a seat opposite me.

"Tracy?"

She put the toast down. "Yeah, sorry. I can't think straight at the moment, I didn't have time for breakfast."

I gave her a look. I couldn't remember the last time that Tracy was on shift when I hadn't had to make myself a new slice of toast.

I really should have gotten into the habit of making three.

"All I'm saying is that you can't just dismiss everything she says," I said, pausing to take a bite of my own toast. "She has a lot of experience, and you could learn a thing or two."

"She could learn a thing or two from me! I did live here for six years!"

I sighed. Tracy and Gina worked together a lot better now than when Tracy had first joined us, but Tracy still had a habit of ignoring any idea she didn't agree with.

"She's still my second in command," I said. "So just, try not to get on her nerves too much, ok?"

Tracy gave me an innocent smile.

I sighed as the toaster popped up. I took the pieces out and put them on my plate. As I put it down on the counter Tracy reached over to take one.

"Hey!" I said, slapping her hand away. "Make your own!"

Tracy took her hand back and paused for a moment.

I studied her for a moment. "Are you alright?"

Tracy nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine."

I paused for a moment. "You know, in all the time I've known you, I don't think I've ever seen you make your own toast."

"Well, it's easier to steal yours!" Tracy said. There was mischief in her voice, but it didn't quite reach her eyes.

"So you make it when I'm not here?" I asked.

"Of course I do!" said Tracy defiantly. "I'm not scared of the toaster or something!"

"I never said you were." Tracy was putting up a lot more defenses than were necessary for a conversation like this, which led me to believe there was a lot more going on than she wanted to share.

She sighed, looking down to the counter. "Sorry. I don't know what's wrong with me today."

"No, don't be," I said. "It was a stupid thing to ask. I was just curious, and I'm sorry."

Tracy paused for a moment, before looking at me. "You weren't around when Cam's flat got burnt, were you?"

I looked puzzled. "Of course I was. It was only last year."

"No, the first time," Tracy said. "It was after you'd left Stowey House."

"Yes, it was." I was confused as to why Tracy was bringing this up, but she clearly had a reason.

"Well, it started when I was making Cam breakfast," said Tracy. "I spilt some milk, wiped it up with some kitchen roll, and then saw something on the TV and went to watch it."

"I remember," I said. "It was in your book."

Tracy gave me a look to continue.

"And then Cam came downstairs and the kitchen was on fire," I said. "But what's this got to do with anything?"

Tracy sighed. "I never wrote in my book what caused the fire." She looked down to the counter. "I pulled the kitchen roll over the toaster, and it burst into flames."

Suddenly everything clicked into place. Everything Tracy had said suddenly made sense.

"And you've never made toast since?"

Tracy nodded.

I reached for her hand and gave it a squeeze. Tracy looked up at me and gave a small smile.

"I understand," I said. "You were brought back after that, weren't you?"

"Yeah," said Tracy. "And then I didn't leave for two years."

I sighed. "Our experiences shape who we are. And difficult ones, even if we don't realise it at the time, can have a lasting impact."

"But it's a toaster!" said Tracy. "It's such a stupid thing. Anyone else can use it, so why not me?"

"Because in your mind, a toaster cost you two years of your life living with Cam," I said. "And you never want it to take someone away again."

"But I moved out when Gary came," said Tracy. "And I was fine with him after that."

"You decided to leave though, Tracy," I said. I paused. "Cam didn't give you an option with the toaster. And because she meant more to you than any other foster parents ever had, you were terrified of messing that up again."

Tracy looked down at the counter, then back at me. "How do you know all that?"

"I've got you quite well worked out," I said. "You give me the first clues and normally I'll be able to work out the rest."

She gave me a smile. The moment lasted a minute or so before her hand reached over my plate again.

"Oi!" I said, going for her hand. Unfortunately she was too quick and grabbed both slices of toast, grinning as she took a bite.

"They're cold anyway!" she said. Her eyes twinkled. "And anyway, you can make your own."

I gave her a look, shook my head, and went to the bread bin. Slices five and six entered the toaster.

I turned to watch Tracy as she ate her stolen toast, a sense of contentment filling me. I was glad we'd been able to talk, and that Tracy had finally been able to tell me about something that had clearly been on her mind for years.

She looked up as she finished her toast. "Thanks, Mike."

"Of course," I said. "I'm used to making you toast by now anyway."

She gave me a meaning look, though I could tell it was kind. "That's not what I meant."

I gave her a smile. "I know."

She gave me a smile back.

I allowed the moment to last.

"Now, go on, out of here," I said, shooing her away. "You've got work to do."

Tracy gave me a mock salute, not unlike the one she'd given after orders to stick to Elektra and Kali like glue, and left the kitchen.

I gave another smile, before I was drawn back to the real world by my toast popping up.

The next morning Tracy came in as the kids were having breakfast.

"Morning Tracy," I said, picking up a plate. "Have a seat."

Tracy sat at the table and looked at me expectantly.

I put the plate on the mat in front of her, and she looked at me and smiled, a twinkle in both our eyes, before looking back to the table.

A piece of toast.

A/N I didn't do as thorough a check as I would have liked, but to my knowledge since the fire at the start of TSTOB series 2 Tracy has never been seen making toast. She's put toppings onto toast but she's never used a toaster on screen. Even when she made Toby his egg and soldiers is was Liam who got the toast out of the toaster while she dealt with the egg. Cam also asked Tracy if she wanted toast, rather than telling her to make her own in The Scare Game, so she is probably aware of Tracy's dislike of toasters, though I'm sure Mike was the first one to unpick it so deeply. This idea came to me and I thought I'd make a little something of it. Hope you liked it, please review. :)