Hayley gives some useful advice and Tommy reaches a decision.

Chapter 4 - Advice from a Friend

"A reunion?" Hayley smiled at Tommy as he fidgeted on his stool. The Cyber café was quiet that afternoon despite the fact summer break was in full swing and the students of Reefside had plenty of spare time. "Are you going to take the others?"

Tommy leant against the counter and took a sip of his coffee. "I thought about it but I don't know if they'll be back in time, I mean they're all pretty busy with their new lives. Which is good," He finished hurriedly at the frown on Hayley's face. "Of course it's good, they have their whole lives ahead of them and they're doing something with it, you know making something of themselves."

Hayley nodded. "What about Grace?" She couldn't help but smile at the look on his face, so that was the crux of the problem.

Tommy sighed. "Yeah, I've thought about it."

"And…" Hayley prompted.

"I'm not so sure it's a good idea." He replied.

"What?" Hayley failed to keep the disbelief and confusion from her voice, it seemed kind of odd considering he and Grace had been together nearly a year.

He sighed again. "I know, I know. I just worry whether they'll like each other. I mean if she doesn't get along with them what will I do?"

"Tommy your friends are amazing, they seem to like just about everybody, and Grace gets along with everyone too."

"But that's precisely what's wrong," Tommy replied with a groan. "If they don't like her then there's something seriously wrong with her but I do whose judgment do I trust? I've known them almost all my life and I'd trust them with it so they wouldn't dislike her without a reason."

Hayley stared at him like he was a moron. "And you're also worried that she won't like them in which case there's definitely something wrong with her?"

"Yes!" Tommy seemed relieved that she understood. "And no," He continued. "Either there's something wrong with her or there's something wrong with them and then what am I supposed to do?"

Hayley wanted to bang his head on the table in frustration. "You have got to be kidding me!" She groaned. "Tommy you are exactly like your friends and you like Grace yes?" At his nod she continued. "Because of who you are you wouldn't like Grace if she wasn't like your friends right?"

Tommy seemed to think about it for a minute, trying to follow the logic. "Okay."

Hayley smiled then. "Ergo they have to like each other!" Tommy still looked like he was worrying so she sighed and continued. "Tommy you're trying to over think everything and come up with every bad scenario you can possibly think of, no wonder you're panicking you're not being level headed. If you acted like this during battle you'd be dead!"

"I guess." Tommy replied with an embarrassed smile. "Do you think she'd be offended if I didn't take her? I mean, she knows I'm going."

Hayley rolled her eyes. "Come on Tommy this is Grace; the girl probably thinks you're going alone!"



Tommy looked confused. "What?"

"You know her better than anyone but being a man you're kinda' slow." She replied with a sigh. "For example the other day when you walked in here and went 'Hi gorgeous' I could tell instantly that she wanted to turn and look for who you were talking to, and then she went bright red when she realized you meant her!"

She's not that bad!" Tommy protested.

Hayley shrugged, running a cloth over the counter. "Anyone can tell she'd got low self esteem, that's why I said to be gentle with her; and with you around…"

Tommy threw his hands up in defense. "Whoah! Now what's that supposed to mean?"

Hayley raised an eyebrow with a smile and shrugged. "All I'm saying is who can blame her? You're not exactly ugly Tommy and I've yet to meet a woman who would say no, hell, I probably-"

Tommy threw his hands up again and backed off of his stool. "Don't do it Hayley!" She thought he sounded slightly panicked, it made her grin. "There are some things I really don't need to know!"

She rolled her eyes again. "Friends only Tommy, friends. Look, all I'm saying is that Grace is probably still living in disbelief, she's way too modest to believe she has anything to offer you so basically she won't make any demands of you because she thinks she going to wake up any minute!"

"You sound like you're speaking from experience." Tommy frowned at her insight and the openness with which she was sharing it.

She blushed slightly. "Trust me, nearly every girl has at least one beautiful man in her life; if she's lucky she will keep him and if she's unlucky she'll wake up."

"Wha-" Tommy began to ask.

This time it was Hayley who threw her hands up. "No, you won't get anymore out of me!" She passed him a cup of fresh coffee with a smile. "Don't over think it Tommy; just ask her to go with you." With that she left to serve a new customer.

Tommy sighed and watched her go, it was possible that she was right and he supposed being a woman she would have more insight into Grace's mindset; he knew she had seen the first few difficult days of Grace's recovery after the defeat of the Acanthid, it was possible she understood even better than him. He worried though, worried about the times he felt irrationally angry and annoyed with her; he didn't understand it and when the thoughts were gone he was left only with the guilt of thinking it. It was as if someone else invaded his head in those moments.

He turned back to the counter with a sigh and caught sight of the pictures hanging on the wall. In the midst of them all was a photo of Grace singing on stage with Kira, she looked so beautiful in the wispy green dress and a big smile on her face, he remembered the night all too well. The thought of it made him smile. He would take her with him, he could ask her something he'd been wanting to for some time, she would meet all the people he loved the most; it would be fun for them all and he wanted his friends to meet Grace, he was sure they'd love her too.