Together Again
Author: Sparkling-Diva
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Romance/Drama
Summary: Merton has been turned into stone after saving Tommy from Medusa. Have Tommy and Lori lost their best friend? Will Tommy and Lori be able to work things through between them? Will Merton be turned into stone forever?
Author's Notes: In this story, it features diary entries from both Tommy and Lori even though they only show that Tommy has an inner monologue on the show. This was written way back in 1999 and was my first fanfic ever.
Chapter 3: The Truth
From the Diary of Tommy Dawkins
Well it seems like Lori is talking to me again, which Is a good thing and all because of the situation that Merton is in. We both need someone to talk to. Lori keeps saying how this is all her fault. It's not even mine or Merton's. This stuff just happens. No one knows why but it just does. I'm going to go see it Lori wants to go visit Merton at the lair tonight. I wish that nothing of this would have happened to him. He doesn't deserve it. He really doesn't.
School Hallways
Lori was standing by her locker putting her books away and getting ready to go with him. She came across her agenda book and opened it. There was a picture of Tommy that year from school pictures. She smiled at the sight of this unaware that Tommy is walking towards her.
"Hey, Lori!" Tommy said from behind her locker door.
"Hey, Tommy!" replied Lori surprised because of not being aware of Tommy's presence, almost dropped the picture of her agenda but managed to catch it.
"You seem surprised. You know I didn't meant to scare you or anything," replied Tommy.
"I know you didn't," Lori answered with a shaky voice.
"I hope you don't mind me asking but are you okay?" Tommy asked noticing the way Lori was acting.
"Yeah, I couldn't be better," answered Lori.
"Alrighty then. So whatcha got there," Tommy said noticing what she was holding.
"Oh, this," she said, "it's um…um," practically speechless, "it's my agenda…yeah that's it…um…you know…just my agenda…yeah, that's it…um…you know…just my agenda. Uh…I was just checking you know…to uh, see it…um, I had any homework."
This time Tommy's looked surprised, "You? Uh, homework? Um, Lori., since when do you do your homework?"
Speechless again Lori said, "Well, I…uh…well you know this is our senior year right?"
Tommy nods in agreement.
"Well I've uh, been thinking that next year we have college so…uh…you see…I have decided to start working to improve my grades so I will get a good scholarship…you know so I will go to a college that is good for me."
Tommy, a bit hurt from hearing this, with a touch of sadness in his voice said, "But I thought that you, Merton, and I…that we were all going to go to State U together. Remember that was our plan?"
"Yeah…I know," replied Lori, "and that's why I'm going to work hard these days. You know…so they will accept me."
Tommy made a sigh of relief, "You almost caught me on that one. But anyways, I'm sure they'll accept you because practically everyone at our school is going there for sure. And in fact, when I say that, I think I mean everyone."
"Yeah…well…I uh…just wanted to make sure that's all," Lori says, " So anyways, uh, Tommy was there something you wanted to talk about?"
Tommy replied nearly forgetting why he went there in the first place, "Uh…yeah. Actually I wanted to know if you wanted to come with me to the Lair to keep Merton company. That's if you didn't have any work to do like maybe tonight…"
Lori said," No, I mean yeah. Sure I'll go."
"Okay great. I'll pick you up at your house around eight-ish?"
"Sure. Eigth-ish it is."
They hear a bell ring for school dismissal.
"Listen," Tommy replied, "I've got to go to football practice. So I'll see you later?"
"Yeah sure. Bye!"
"Bye! Oh are you sure you're going to be okay?" Tommy asked noticing Lori was still acting funny.
"I already told you I am and you're going to be late," answered Lori.
"You make a good point. See ya."
"See ya."
Lori watched Tommy as he walked quickly down the hall and turned to another. Then she quickly resumed to packing up to leave.
"Close call," she told herself as she put on her backpack and slammed her locker shut and left the building.
From the Diary of Tommy Dawkins
I met Lori at her locker today. She seemed a little surprised and nervous when she saw me. Anyways, I better get going now. I promised to pick her up to go keep Merton company.
From the Diary of Lori Baxter
What a relief. Tommy almost caught me thinking about him by my locker this afternoon. I said I would go with him tonight to keep Merton company. While we're there, Tommy and I can try to find a cure so Merton can be turned back to normal.
Merton's Lair
Tommy and Lori had desperately been checking books and information on Merton's computer to see if they could find a cure to turn Merton back to human.
"Hey I think I've got something," Tommy replied excitedly as he's checked out something on the computer, "No, wait. Never mind," he replied sadly realizing it wasn't what he was looking for. "Well we can't give up now," Tommy replied as he kept checking out webpages on the internet.
Lori plopped on a chair. "Well what time is it now?" she asked Tommy.
Tommy checked his watch. "Nearly, midnight," he said tiredly, trying to hold back a yawn.
"Oh my gosh! I've got a paper due tomorrow!" Lori said nervously.
"Well, I've got a french test to study for to so you don't need to worry about being the only one who didn't do any assignments. Besides, I bet there are other kids won't have it done in time either," Tommy replied.
Lori felt better knowing that she wasn't going to be alone, "Well I think I better go home now so I can see if I can at least finish a good part of it. Besides, it's pretty late," Lori stated as she gots up and moved towards the door.
"I agree," Tommy said as he shut down the computer, got up from his seat, and also headed towards the door. He grabbed his and Lori's jackets and handed it to her.
"Thanks," Lori said quietly as she took it from him and put it on.
"Light's out, Merton," Tommy said as he turned off the lights in the lair and Lori opened the door to leave.
"Goodbye Merton," Lori replied sadly as Tommy closed the door.
"Come on, I'll walk you home," Tommy told Lori.
Chemistry Class
As usual, Lori was sitting in the back of the room and Tommy at the front.
"Don't forget to read pages 42-444 and do question #1-9. We'll take it up tomorrow," the teacher reminded the class even thought they weren't listening that well as they gather their stuuf, get of their seats, and left the room as the bell rang.
"Hey," Lori said, "How did you do on your test?"
"I'm guessing horrible since as soon as I got home last night I went to sleep, woke up late this morning, skipped breakfast, and I almost had to miss the bus since I had to go back home and grab my backpack since I forgot it," he said. "So my guess is that I got around a D. Not to mention that I practically fell asleep in the class. So I'm not so sure what I wrote down," he added.
"Oh, I'm sorry about that," Lori answered.
"Oh, that's okay. How did you do on your paper?" he said as he remembered about Lori's paper.
"I flunked it too," she replies, "I didn't work on it yesterday night either."
"Hey, Lori, uh, I was wondering maybe you want to go hang out," he said clearing his throat, "At the factory…tonight…with me? I mean, if you aren't doing anything tonight, and since it's Friday and we've had a pretty rough week. You know, so we can have some fun. You know, bowling, dancing, and stuff like that."
"Sure, Tommy. I'd love to-" she was interrupted by the warning bell, "Oh, sorry. I've got to go or else I'll be late for class. Pick me up around seven, okay?"
"Yeah. It sounds great," Tommy said.
"Okay, seven it is. Bye!" Lori said as she left the classroom.
"Yeah, bye!" Tommy called back to her.
"Can't wait," he said to himself as he left the room.
From the Diary of Tommy Dawkins
I can't believe I was actually able to come through and ask Lori out. Okay so I didn't exactly ask her out. But she did agree to go to the Factory tonight when I asked her to come with me so I guess it's a good thing. I've been thinking a lot lately and I plan to tell Lori my true feelings about her…tonight. I can't it any longer. I have got to tell her. So yes, I, Tommy Dawkins, am going to confess to Lori how much I miss her and how I still have feelings for her too. I just hope she feels the same.
From the Diary of Lori Baxter
Tommy asked me out! We are going to the Factory tonight! I have to admit that I was a little surprised but he seemed really nervous about something but I'm not so sure what. Tommy hasn't really been nervous asking me that question since….before we were a couple. I don't know what it is. Doesn't he want to be with me? Even if we are just friends? Or is it something more than that? Is there something he isn't telling me? Or something he's afraid to say? Somehow, I'll find out. I always do. I mean when I first came to Pleasantville High, how was I suppose to know that the werewolf was somebody that I knew. One of my best friends. My boyfriend. It's hard for me to believe how they could have hidden that from me. Anyhow, I think just to be sure about this weird situation with Tommy, I think that the time has come for me to tell Tommy how I really feel about him. I know it's going to be hard and that I'm going to be really nervous, but something keeps telling me that it's the right thing to do. There is so much going on in my life like losing Merton that I feel this will actually help to get something out of the way. You know, all the pressure. I've gotta go. Tommy should be coming soon.
Lori's House
DING-DONG!
"Coming!" Lori yelled as she ran down the stairs to answer the door. She opened it to see Tommy all dressed up like it was school picture day or something. She then noticed that he was hiding something behind his back.
"Hey, Lori!"
"Hey, Tommy! Just on time. 7 o'clock sharp! Perfect. C'mon in!"
"Thanks," Tommy said nervously as he stepped inside the house and Lori closed the door behind him.
"So do ya want something to drink before we leave?" she asked Tommy as she walked him to the kitchen.
"Uh, no thanks," answered Tommy after he cleared his throat.
There was a long pause of silence as they just stood by the counter both looking really nervous and unable to talk to each other,
I've got to tell him, Lori thought, but I don't know how.
How am I suppose to tell her, Tommy thought to himself, any moment now I can wolf out because I'm so nevous. I can't let her see me this nervous or she'll suspect that I'm keeping something from her.
Tommy finally spoke up and said "You look really nice."
"Thanks," Lori said blushing, "But you know I wore the same thing to school today, right?"
Embarrassed Tommy replied, "Yeah. I forgot."
Lori realized what Tommy was wearing. He wore the same outfit he wore when it was the night she had asked him to go to the cemetery with her to do a butt kicking workout a little before they became a couple. Tommy had though it was a date and had dressed up for it and brought her a bouquet of roses. Then Merton came and ruined it all by trying to convince them that his childhood, imaginary friend, Vince was trying to kill Tommy and him.
Thinking of this made Lori smile and bring her back to the present and out of the past.
"So what's up with the fancy clothes?" she asked.
"Oh this," Tommy said fumbling on his every word, "Nothing. Just thought I would look nice. That's all."
"Oh. Well, don't need to worry. It's not like it's the Fall Formal Dance.
"I know."
There was another moment of silence. Suddenly Tommy remembered something.
"Oh, I almost forgot," he said reaching the thing he was holding behind his back. He pulled out a bouquet of red roses.
"Here, these are for you."
He handed them to Lori.
"Really?" Lori asked as she took them.
Tommy nodded a yes.
"Thanks. That's so sweet but I don't think you already gave me enough. I mean, I don't want you spending all you're weekly allowance on me."
"No, it's okay. I want to. You're worth it"
They smiled at each other knowing that their day had brightened up a bit. "Okay, I'll go. Put them in some water."
Lori went and placed them in an empty vase, with lot more roses that Tommy had given her the past few days.
Tommy soon noticed that they were all alone, "Where are your parents?"
"They're working late tonight. They already know that I'm with you and that I'm safe."
There was another long pause of silence.
"Lori?"
"Yeah Tommy?"
"There is something very important that I need to tell you. But I can't right now. But promise me that if I don't tell you by the end of tonight keep reminding me to do so okay?"
"Okay. And Tommy, same for me. I also want to tell you something, so if I don't just let me know, okay?"
"Okay."
They stay quiet for a while and then Lori spoke up.
"You wanna go now?" she asked.
"That's probably a good idea,' he replied with a grin.
"Let's go."
They walked out of the kitchen through the back door. Tommy followed Lori out and closed the door behind him.
The Factory
Tommy and Lori had already finished a couple rounds of bowling. Lori had beaten Tommy by a couple of points. Now they were sitting at a table with some pop and sharing some French fries as a break while they watched another game.
"Admit it, Tommy," Lori said, "I'm a better bowler than you."
Lori reached into the bowl and took another fry.
"Fine. I admit. But are you sure you don't have any telekinetic powers that makes you win every match we play together?'
"Of course not. Anyhow, if I did, pretty good chances are that you would've known by now."
"That's true."
"I mean, once I found out about your big secret, you know." she whispered after looking around to make sure that no one was looking or listening, "That you're the town's werewolf, since you know the kind of girl I am, and I wouldn't keep secrets from you. Right?"
"Right, But aren't you forgetting the time when you lied to Merton about Rob?"
"Well, Rob was something from my past. A very dark past and I rather forget about it, okay?"
Tommy nodded.
"Now if you don't mind," continued Lori, "I will like to have to continue to watch the bowling game. I think they are tied and I want to see what happens next."
As Tommy and Lori watched the bowling game they kept stuffing their mouths with French fries. They were unaware that the fries were done that they accidentally had their hands meet when they tried to get another one. They smiled at each other and quickly removed their hands away from each other and continued to watch the game. After a while a party song came on and people started dancing on the dance floor.
Tommy cleared his throat and managed to ask, "Uh, Lori, you wanna dance?"
"Sure, I guess," she replied in a surprised tone.
They both got out of their seats and Lori followed Tommy to the dance floor. Then they started to dance. After a sad song came on.
"Oh, another love ballad" said Tommy, "I don't know if you are up to dancing that one."
"No, it's okay. I want to. I mean, that's if you want to," Lori assured him.
"I want to. Do you?"
"Yeah, I guess. Do you?"
"Yeah, I guess. I do."
"So, okay…let's dance then," Tommy said nervously. They both got nervous about dancing a slow song together but eventually they got into position and did.
"Uh, you can, uh, you know," he motions his shoulder and Lori nodded and placed her head on his shoulder.
Thoughts raced through their minds such as: What am I suppose to do? What should I say? When do I tell him or her about my feelings for them? Do they feel the same way?
They then realized what song was on and felt sad. They were both so close to crying but then before they could show how sad they were, they almost let each other go, but something stopped them. Soon they were just standing there, not caring about anything else but one another, looking each other in the eyes.
There was a moment of silence between the two of them and then, without any control over it, their minds went completely blank and they moved closer into a kiss. They just stood there kissing each other like they were the only ones there.
The song ended and the DJ played another party tune.
They took note of it and what they are doing and quickly let go of each other.
"Uh, I…" Lori said studdering.
"Whoa, that was…" Tommy's voice trailed off practically shocked at what they did.
"Tommy…" Lori started
"Come on. Let's go outside and talk about it, okay?" Tommy tells her. She nods and he took her hand as they walked through the crowd of people dancing. They walked out of the front door and stayed silent to shocked and surprised to speak although it's only makes them want to talk to each other about it even more.
They just kept holding each others hand and staying perfectly silent. They took a little walk over to the town's square where the gazebo was located. Then they let each others hands go and they sat down by the steps silent. They stayed like that a minute waiting for one of them to eventually speak up about what happened back there.
Finally, Tommy had the nerve to speak up.
"Lori?" Tommy said in a nervous voice.
"Yeah, Tommy?" Lori replies looking at him.
Tommy looked at her and said, "I think it's a good time to tell you what I didn't say before."
"I think I should tell you something to."
"You can go first."
"No, it's okay."
"Ladies first."
"I'm sick of that rule. You go ahead and say what you want."
"But I want to go second."
Lori laughed, "Well one of us better go first. I'm not going to argue about this all night. It's not worth it,"
"So who's gong first?"
There was a long pause of silence,
"Fine," Lori said nervously, "I'll go first. Just give me a sec to gather my thoughts and what I want to say you to okay?"
Tommy nodded.
There was yet another long pause of silence and then she started to speak.
"Tommy? Jeesh, I don't know how I'm going to tell you this, but I'll try my best." Then she managed to blurt out, "I still have feelings for you."
Tommy had a shocked look on his face not knowing what to say.
At this point, Lori is breaking down into tears. She repeated herself, "I still have feelings for you. I have had then since the moment I-," she stopped, "Dump is such a hard word so I won't use it. But I have had these feelings for you ever since we broke up with each other."
Tommy knew that this was the time for him to come in and comfort her, so he decides to speak the truth, "Lori, you're probably not going to believe this but I still have feelings for you too." Lori stared at him. "And I mean it. In fact that's what I was planning to tell you tonight. I wasn't so sure how you were going to feel about it, but now I know that you feel the same way."
"You mean it?" Lori asked in a sad voice.
Tommy took her hand, "I mean it. But Lori only one question."
"What's that?"
"Why did you break up with me?"
"But I thought you had agreed to break up with me. Remember when I told you, you said that it was probably the right thing to do."
"I only did because you said that you wanted to."
"No I didn't."
"You did. Why did you?"
"Do you really want to know?"
"It'll be nice."
"Okay, then. As you know, right before we broke up we were having relationship problems. We were arguing over the smallest things that weren't important like considering you Superman and me Wonder Woman. Plus you didn't seem to appreciate the work and effort I did as my part in the group in fighting all the bad guys?"
"But, Lori, that's not true. Not to mention that we weren't the only couple that were having problems. Others do too."
"I know. But back then, I just didn't understand it. That's why."
"I don't seem to be getting this."
"What I'm trying to say is that I was afraid. Yes, I Lori Baxter, the kickboxer, was afraid. I was afraid."
"But afraid of what?"
"What would happen to us, I didn't want us to fight anymore or argue. You know, Tommy, how I can go really crazy just for not talking to you in awhile. It's just impossible for me to do, I didn't want anything to com between us. I didn't want to lose what we had. It was just too special, too important to me. I didn't want that to go away. I wanted to be with you forever," she stopped, "…and I still do. I did all of this to save us. I just -" she breaks down in tears.
"Lori what is it?"
Lori forced herself through her tears to send her message to him, "I just loved you so much. I was in love with you. I loved you then, I love you now, and I always will love you no matter what. And Tommy I know you're one of my best friends other than Merton. But I'll always love you more than a friend. I just can't help myself. I can't control my feelings. They just come to me. I love you," she started to really cry for the first time, truly meaning it. "Then I saw you with Tori and I thought to myself that probably I had done the right thing, But now that I come to think about it, since I know you so well, you probably just decided to date her to try to make me jealous. And then when I kissed, Merton, it just tore me apart. I was caught up thinking of you and Merton was sad about the Melissa thing, or I should say Medusa, that I started understanding how he felt and I tried to make him feel better and soon I don't know what I was doing. And when I found out that you saw, I was heart-broken. But I really didn't mean to do it. Hones, with all my heart…I love you."
Tommy listens to her in shock. She had felt the same way about him all along.
"Lori?"
"Yeah, Tommy?"
"I love you too."
They smiled at each other knowing that everything was okay with them.
"I love you too."
They moved closer to each other and kissed again.
"It's okay. Don't cry. I'm here. I'm not leaving you. I love you."
"I want everything we had back again," said Lori.
"So do I.
They were silent and then Tommy had an idea.
"Lori?"
"Yeah?"
"Wanna be my girlfriend?"
Lori let go of Tommy and looked him in the eyes.
"Only on one condition."
"What's that?"
"That you'll be my boyfriend."
"It's a deal."
They kissed to make it official that once again they were a couple. After, Tommy checked his watch to find out that it was nearly 11 p.m.
"11 already? You must be tired. Come on and I'll walk you home. Tomorrow we'll go back to the lair."
They got up and Tommy put his arm around Lori and she rest her head on his shoulder as they walked into the night.