Disclaimer: I don't own Everwood, the town, or it's characters. I'm just a
college student.
Chapter 38 uses "On Fire," by Switchfoot.
Chapter 38: On Fire
"Daddy, can we go to the zoo tomorrow?" Micah asked. They had just started playing house, and Micah seemed to be the only one who knew what to do. Tommy was confused at first by his son's question,
"I don't think so, son, remember, we have to stay here for a little while," Micah rolled his eyes at this, making Tommy laugh. He didn't even know his son had a sarcastic side at his young age.
"Dad!" He said, "We're playing house, rwemember?" he giggled.
"Oh, right," Tommy said laughing. "Well, I suppose we CAN go to the zoo tomorrow then, but only if you're good,"
"Aren't you going to ask Mommy if it's okay?" Micah said smiling and turning to Amy.
"Oh, um, right, I probably should," Tommy said, blushing. He turned to Amy now also and spoke without eye contact, "Did you have any plans for tomorrow . . . honey?" This was both Tommy's nightmare and dream come true rolled into one. Luckily Amy had played house when she babysat Sam before, so she had some sort of an idea what to do.
"Well," she said tapping her lower lip with her index finger, "I thought Micah and I would go see a movie tomorrow, but it's okay if you want to take him to the zoo," Tommy raised his eyebrows; he was impressed.
"Both!" Micah said hugging his Dad and then his "mom." It was Amy's turn to continue since Tommy was surprisingly out of the 'house' loop.
"I'm going to go for a little walk, I'll be back in a little while, okay?" she said still in her role, "You go play with your dad,"
"I come with mom?" he asked. Amy's heart jumped. Even though it was just a game, she was horrified at the thought of being someone's mother at the age of 16.
"No, I'll just be a minute," she said motioning to walk outside, but Micah's words stopped her; when she heard them she wished she would've pretended she hadn't.
"You have to kiss Daddy goodbye you know," he said smiling.
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````
"Tell you where you need to go
Tell you when you'll need to leave
Tell you what you need to know
Tell you who you need to be
But everything inside you knows
Says more than what you've heard
So much more than empty conversations
Filled with empty words"
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````
Back in Everwood, Ephram was searching for answers to questions his heart had been asking since he found out Amy was alone with Tommy. Dr. Brown entered the room just in time to give him these answers.
"Amy's with Tommy in Denver," he said hoping he was wrong in his prediction of how his son would respond.
"In Denver," he said slowly, "Denver . . . why?" he asked, now panicking.
"For safety," his father explained, "they went there right after you were taken,"
"But Amy's in a separate room, right?" he asked, laughing out of nervousness.
"There was only one vacancy . . ." Dr. Brown said cringing as he saw his son's eyes narrow, "when are they coming back?"
"They should be back sometime tomorrow. No sense in driving home today, the snow's really starting to pick up," Andy said.
"I'm going right now," Ephram said quickly. Mrs. Callahan held onto Ephram's arm and said,
"The roads are way too dangerous, they'll be fine until tomorrow,"
"Oh, I'm not worried about the roads. I'm worried about that rat with my girlfriend," he explained.
"I thought you liked Tommy," Delia offered up.
"Yes, well if I learned one thing while I was captive, it was that Tommy 'fancies' Amy," he said putting on his jacket again.
"Don't you trust her?" Andy said, "If you love her, then surely you trust her,"
Ephram stopped zipping his jacket for a second and said, "As much as I love her . . . she and I have always had a trust issue," he finished zipping his jacket, grabbed his car keys, and pushed his way through everyone to get to the door, "now if you'll excuse me,"
"Ephram!" Delia yelled out the door as he started the car. The snow was coming down so much that she could barely see him.
"Delia," he said out the car window, "You'll understand someday why I have to do this," and with that he rolled up the window and backed out the driveway.
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````
"And you're on fire
When He's near you
You're on fire
When He speaks
You're on fire
Burning at these mysteries
Give me one more time around
Give me one more chance to see
Give me everything You are
Give me one more chance to be... (near You)"
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````
Back in Denver, things were getting a little confusing.
"Kiss Daddy!" Micah was saying as he jumped up and down on the bed.
"Stop jumping," Tommy said as the little boy fell onto his bottom and landed softly with a last gentle bounce on the bed.
"Um . . ." Amy said as she walked over to Tommy, "I'll see you later then, Thomas," she said hugging him quickly. Nervousness shot through her body; calmness through his. He didn't release her right away as they pulled inches apart enough to see the other's face.
"Yes, be careful in the snow . . ." he said smiling. Out of the corner of his eye he could see his son once again jumping on the bed. He kissed her forehead; she froze. He kissed her nose, her left cheek, her right cheek . . . it was as if time had stopped for them. She pressed her eyes closed tightly quickly then opened them again just in time to see him pulling back. She stared into his eyes and finally saw how much he cared for her. *Ephram . . .* she thought, but her lips thought otherwise and swiftly kissed Tommy's for a few seconds. Ripping away from him she ran out the door and fell into the snow in tears. She was glad the boys couldn't see her just then. Her heart wanted Ephram, her mind wanted Ephram, her soul . . . Ephram. She had all these things under control; only one thing seemed to always be OUT of control . . . her body.
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````
"Cause everything inside looks like
Everything I hate
You are the hope I have for change
You are the only chance I'll take"
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````
Tommy turned around and leaned the back of his head against the door. Micah was smiling and ran over to his father. "I think we've had enough "house" for today, kiddo,"
"Okay," he said softly.
"And when Amy comes back you aren't to call her Mommy. You call her Amy, just as you always have,"
"You kissed her," he said in a mocking tone. He was too young to understand that kisses weren't grounds for making fun of; often they were grounds for envy.
"Nothing's changed," he sighed, "Amy is our friend, and that's how it stays,"
Micah began crying, "Love her!" he yelled loud enough for Amy to hear outside the door.
"I can't," Tommy explained seriously.
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````
"And I'm on fire
When You're near me
I'm on fire
When You speak
And I'm on fire
Burning at these mysteries
these mysteries..."
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````
Ephram drove quickly down the icy roads, much like he had when he made the decision to go to the ski lodge. Many of the same worries crossed his mind this time, and he had a bad feeling that while Amy may be physically safe, she wasn't emotionally stable enough to fend off Tommy's wooing. He had grabbed his present for Amy and Tommy's for her also; he wasn't that cold hearted that he'd withhold presents for Amy. Everything made sense now that he thought about it; the necklace, the way Tommy had taken care of her when she had cake in her hair, the truth or dare thing . . . why hadn't he seen this before?
"You better get her out of your system right now," Ephram said aloud to a far away Tommy as he drove, "because when I get there I'll make damn sure she is,"
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````````
"I'm standing on the edge of me
I'm standing on the edge of me
I'm standing on the edge of me
I'm standing on the edge"
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````````
Tears creating tiny holes in the snow Amy rest in, she questioned why she was always such a mess. She loved Ephram, she loved Tommy and Micah as friends, and that was it. She would go back inside and explain this . . . if only she could gather enough energy and words to. She opened the door and saw Tommy and Micah asleep on the bed. She sighed. *They get worn out so quickly* she thought, *But this has to be done.* She shook Tommy awake, keeping her face distant from his this time,
"Hm?" he said as he opened his eyes and smiled, "Amy,"
"Come over here, we need to talk," she said and motioned for the bathroom; he listened and in minutes they were holding a much needed conversation.
"Look," Amy said closing the door so the light wouldn't wake Micah, "I care about you,"
"You kissed me . . ." he said running his hand along the outline of her face. She closed her eyes and took his hand away from her.
"We were playing, you KNOW that," she still had her eyes closed.
"It didn't feel that way," he said softly, "I pulled away, you're the one who actually kissed me,"
"I want to be honest with you . . . because I care so much . . ."
"But?" he sighed.
"No buts this time," she explained, "I don't know what comes over me when we're together, but it contradicts everything I hold true to my heart, especially Ephram,"
"What're you saying?" he asked, his voice full of hope.
"That while I do FEEL something," she closed her eyes. She didn't want to admit this to herself, let alone him, "I'm not willing to act on it,"
"But you FELT it! You finally felt what I feel everytime I see you!"
"Yes, I feel it . . . but it isn't right and it isn't something I'm going to do anything about,"
"How can you just ignore it?" he said squeezing her hand.
"Tommy, please don't push this," she said, eyes and voice growing equally serious. He backed down. "Isn't it enough to know that I love you too . . ." He blushed at this and pulled her into a hug; the truth was, that WAS enough.
"We can't do this," she said pulling away from him, "I love Ephram,"
"I understand," he said smiling, "maybe someday . . ."
"I don't think there will ever be a 'someday'" she explained wiping her lips, "I don't plan on ever leaving Ephram," she said and walked out of the bathroom. She sat down in the chair Tommy had slept in the night before and faded into a light sleep.
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````
"And I'm on fire
When You're near me
I'm on fire
When You speak
(Yea) I'm on fire
Burning at these mysteries..."
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````
Tommy smiled as he looked at himself in the mirror, "she loves me too, and that's enough. I can let go . . ."
Even though it was only midday, both Callahan boys and Amy were asleep. The weather, the emotional tug-of-war, and the fact there was nothing else to do made sleep inviting. They'd stay asleep like that all night.
The next morning, Ephram rolled into the hotel that his father told him they were at. He had stopped in a hotel the night before because the roads were so snowy that he wasn't able to drive a mile without sliding all over. Maybe it was better that he had rested; it gave him time for his anger to subside. After all, he had just come home from being captured and then found out his girlfriend was alone in a hotel with the one man that was able to threaten their relationship. His headlights shone into the window and Amy's eyes shot open. Rubbing her eyes, she jumped out of the chair in worry as she heard a knock at the door. They weren't expecting anyone . . . Dr. Brown had just been there, no one else knew they were there . . . and the roads were so horrible. Certainly no one would want to drive all the way here on them . . .
"Tommy," she said loudly as he sat up and rubbed his eyes much like she had, "someone's at the door,"
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````
A/N: Okay everyone, it's snowing like CRAZY here so that's why I used a lot of snow in this one. Ugh! The roads are so horrible that I didn't even leave the house today. When I went to let my dog outside the wind was blowing snow into the house! *Shakes head* Yay Wisconsin *rolls eyes* Anyways, thanks for the reviews, keep them up!
Chapter 38 uses "On Fire," by Switchfoot.
Chapter 38: On Fire
"Daddy, can we go to the zoo tomorrow?" Micah asked. They had just started playing house, and Micah seemed to be the only one who knew what to do. Tommy was confused at first by his son's question,
"I don't think so, son, remember, we have to stay here for a little while," Micah rolled his eyes at this, making Tommy laugh. He didn't even know his son had a sarcastic side at his young age.
"Dad!" He said, "We're playing house, rwemember?" he giggled.
"Oh, right," Tommy said laughing. "Well, I suppose we CAN go to the zoo tomorrow then, but only if you're good,"
"Aren't you going to ask Mommy if it's okay?" Micah said smiling and turning to Amy.
"Oh, um, right, I probably should," Tommy said, blushing. He turned to Amy now also and spoke without eye contact, "Did you have any plans for tomorrow . . . honey?" This was both Tommy's nightmare and dream come true rolled into one. Luckily Amy had played house when she babysat Sam before, so she had some sort of an idea what to do.
"Well," she said tapping her lower lip with her index finger, "I thought Micah and I would go see a movie tomorrow, but it's okay if you want to take him to the zoo," Tommy raised his eyebrows; he was impressed.
"Both!" Micah said hugging his Dad and then his "mom." It was Amy's turn to continue since Tommy was surprisingly out of the 'house' loop.
"I'm going to go for a little walk, I'll be back in a little while, okay?" she said still in her role, "You go play with your dad,"
"I come with mom?" he asked. Amy's heart jumped. Even though it was just a game, she was horrified at the thought of being someone's mother at the age of 16.
"No, I'll just be a minute," she said motioning to walk outside, but Micah's words stopped her; when she heard them she wished she would've pretended she hadn't.
"You have to kiss Daddy goodbye you know," he said smiling.
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````
"Tell you where you need to go
Tell you when you'll need to leave
Tell you what you need to know
Tell you who you need to be
But everything inside you knows
Says more than what you've heard
So much more than empty conversations
Filled with empty words"
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````
Back in Everwood, Ephram was searching for answers to questions his heart had been asking since he found out Amy was alone with Tommy. Dr. Brown entered the room just in time to give him these answers.
"Amy's with Tommy in Denver," he said hoping he was wrong in his prediction of how his son would respond.
"In Denver," he said slowly, "Denver . . . why?" he asked, now panicking.
"For safety," his father explained, "they went there right after you were taken,"
"But Amy's in a separate room, right?" he asked, laughing out of nervousness.
"There was only one vacancy . . ." Dr. Brown said cringing as he saw his son's eyes narrow, "when are they coming back?"
"They should be back sometime tomorrow. No sense in driving home today, the snow's really starting to pick up," Andy said.
"I'm going right now," Ephram said quickly. Mrs. Callahan held onto Ephram's arm and said,
"The roads are way too dangerous, they'll be fine until tomorrow,"
"Oh, I'm not worried about the roads. I'm worried about that rat with my girlfriend," he explained.
"I thought you liked Tommy," Delia offered up.
"Yes, well if I learned one thing while I was captive, it was that Tommy 'fancies' Amy," he said putting on his jacket again.
"Don't you trust her?" Andy said, "If you love her, then surely you trust her,"
Ephram stopped zipping his jacket for a second and said, "As much as I love her . . . she and I have always had a trust issue," he finished zipping his jacket, grabbed his car keys, and pushed his way through everyone to get to the door, "now if you'll excuse me,"
"Ephram!" Delia yelled out the door as he started the car. The snow was coming down so much that she could barely see him.
"Delia," he said out the car window, "You'll understand someday why I have to do this," and with that he rolled up the window and backed out the driveway.
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````
"And you're on fire
When He's near you
You're on fire
When He speaks
You're on fire
Burning at these mysteries
Give me one more time around
Give me one more chance to see
Give me everything You are
Give me one more chance to be... (near You)"
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````
Back in Denver, things were getting a little confusing.
"Kiss Daddy!" Micah was saying as he jumped up and down on the bed.
"Stop jumping," Tommy said as the little boy fell onto his bottom and landed softly with a last gentle bounce on the bed.
"Um . . ." Amy said as she walked over to Tommy, "I'll see you later then, Thomas," she said hugging him quickly. Nervousness shot through her body; calmness through his. He didn't release her right away as they pulled inches apart enough to see the other's face.
"Yes, be careful in the snow . . ." he said smiling. Out of the corner of his eye he could see his son once again jumping on the bed. He kissed her forehead; she froze. He kissed her nose, her left cheek, her right cheek . . . it was as if time had stopped for them. She pressed her eyes closed tightly quickly then opened them again just in time to see him pulling back. She stared into his eyes and finally saw how much he cared for her. *Ephram . . .* she thought, but her lips thought otherwise and swiftly kissed Tommy's for a few seconds. Ripping away from him she ran out the door and fell into the snow in tears. She was glad the boys couldn't see her just then. Her heart wanted Ephram, her mind wanted Ephram, her soul . . . Ephram. She had all these things under control; only one thing seemed to always be OUT of control . . . her body.
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````
"Cause everything inside looks like
Everything I hate
You are the hope I have for change
You are the only chance I'll take"
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````
Tommy turned around and leaned the back of his head against the door. Micah was smiling and ran over to his father. "I think we've had enough "house" for today, kiddo,"
"Okay," he said softly.
"And when Amy comes back you aren't to call her Mommy. You call her Amy, just as you always have,"
"You kissed her," he said in a mocking tone. He was too young to understand that kisses weren't grounds for making fun of; often they were grounds for envy.
"Nothing's changed," he sighed, "Amy is our friend, and that's how it stays,"
Micah began crying, "Love her!" he yelled loud enough for Amy to hear outside the door.
"I can't," Tommy explained seriously.
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````
"And I'm on fire
When You're near me
I'm on fire
When You speak
And I'm on fire
Burning at these mysteries
these mysteries..."
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````
Ephram drove quickly down the icy roads, much like he had when he made the decision to go to the ski lodge. Many of the same worries crossed his mind this time, and he had a bad feeling that while Amy may be physically safe, she wasn't emotionally stable enough to fend off Tommy's wooing. He had grabbed his present for Amy and Tommy's for her also; he wasn't that cold hearted that he'd withhold presents for Amy. Everything made sense now that he thought about it; the necklace, the way Tommy had taken care of her when she had cake in her hair, the truth or dare thing . . . why hadn't he seen this before?
"You better get her out of your system right now," Ephram said aloud to a far away Tommy as he drove, "because when I get there I'll make damn sure she is,"
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````````
"I'm standing on the edge of me
I'm standing on the edge of me
I'm standing on the edge of me
I'm standing on the edge"
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````````
Tears creating tiny holes in the snow Amy rest in, she questioned why she was always such a mess. She loved Ephram, she loved Tommy and Micah as friends, and that was it. She would go back inside and explain this . . . if only she could gather enough energy and words to. She opened the door and saw Tommy and Micah asleep on the bed. She sighed. *They get worn out so quickly* she thought, *But this has to be done.* She shook Tommy awake, keeping her face distant from his this time,
"Hm?" he said as he opened his eyes and smiled, "Amy,"
"Come over here, we need to talk," she said and motioned for the bathroom; he listened and in minutes they were holding a much needed conversation.
"Look," Amy said closing the door so the light wouldn't wake Micah, "I care about you,"
"You kissed me . . ." he said running his hand along the outline of her face. She closed her eyes and took his hand away from her.
"We were playing, you KNOW that," she still had her eyes closed.
"It didn't feel that way," he said softly, "I pulled away, you're the one who actually kissed me,"
"I want to be honest with you . . . because I care so much . . ."
"But?" he sighed.
"No buts this time," she explained, "I don't know what comes over me when we're together, but it contradicts everything I hold true to my heart, especially Ephram,"
"What're you saying?" he asked, his voice full of hope.
"That while I do FEEL something," she closed her eyes. She didn't want to admit this to herself, let alone him, "I'm not willing to act on it,"
"But you FELT it! You finally felt what I feel everytime I see you!"
"Yes, I feel it . . . but it isn't right and it isn't something I'm going to do anything about,"
"How can you just ignore it?" he said squeezing her hand.
"Tommy, please don't push this," she said, eyes and voice growing equally serious. He backed down. "Isn't it enough to know that I love you too . . ." He blushed at this and pulled her into a hug; the truth was, that WAS enough.
"We can't do this," she said pulling away from him, "I love Ephram,"
"I understand," he said smiling, "maybe someday . . ."
"I don't think there will ever be a 'someday'" she explained wiping her lips, "I don't plan on ever leaving Ephram," she said and walked out of the bathroom. She sat down in the chair Tommy had slept in the night before and faded into a light sleep.
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````
"And I'm on fire
When You're near me
I'm on fire
When You speak
(Yea) I'm on fire
Burning at these mysteries..."
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````
Tommy smiled as he looked at himself in the mirror, "she loves me too, and that's enough. I can let go . . ."
Even though it was only midday, both Callahan boys and Amy were asleep. The weather, the emotional tug-of-war, and the fact there was nothing else to do made sleep inviting. They'd stay asleep like that all night.
The next morning, Ephram rolled into the hotel that his father told him they were at. He had stopped in a hotel the night before because the roads were so snowy that he wasn't able to drive a mile without sliding all over. Maybe it was better that he had rested; it gave him time for his anger to subside. After all, he had just come home from being captured and then found out his girlfriend was alone in a hotel with the one man that was able to threaten their relationship. His headlights shone into the window and Amy's eyes shot open. Rubbing her eyes, she jumped out of the chair in worry as she heard a knock at the door. They weren't expecting anyone . . . Dr. Brown had just been there, no one else knew they were there . . . and the roads were so horrible. Certainly no one would want to drive all the way here on them . . .
"Tommy," she said loudly as he sat up and rubbed his eyes much like she had, "someone's at the door,"
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````
A/N: Okay everyone, it's snowing like CRAZY here so that's why I used a lot of snow in this one. Ugh! The roads are so horrible that I didn't even leave the house today. When I went to let my dog outside the wind was blowing snow into the house! *Shakes head* Yay Wisconsin *rolls eyes* Anyways, thanks for the reviews, keep them up!