DISCLAIMER: Not mine. If they were, would I really be stuck in the middle of Kansas working at a Wal-Mart?

SUMMARY: Tommy's figured out who Tara is. Can he forgive her for lying to him?

A/N: To those who have reviewed, thank you. I hope that this next chapter lives up to your expectations.

Tommy just stood in the doorway, glaring at Tara where she lay on the gurney. She looked so very fragile right then but he still couldn't hold off his anger. She had lied to him about her brother.

"Tommy if you're going to glare at my sister, leave. She's scared enough as it is." At Jason's words, Tommy spun around and stormed away. Kira stayed.

"Can I come in?" Kira asked.

"Is that okay with you, Tara?" When she nodded, Jason turned to Kira. "Come on in." He looked back to his sister. "Can she sit with you while I go talk to Tommy?"

"Tommy hates me." The words were almost slurred through the mask.

"No, sweetie. He doesn't hate you. He just doesn't understand why you lied to him." Kira was confused too. She reached out and brushed the hair from her face.

"I understand why she did it. She thought that he would instantly call me and complain about getting stuck with her. It's happened before and she's scared of it happening again." Tara nodded. Kira felt better understanding just how low her self-esteem really was. She took over Jason's place. "I'm going to go talk to Tommy now. I'll be back shortly. Okay?" When his sister nodded, Jason bolted out of the room to try to set things straight with Tommy.

Tommy was standing beside the jeep just looking angry. "Tommy, I'm sorry about this, man. You have to remember how many times I missed team get-togethers. It was because Tara was home. I knew she couldn't handle being around a lot of different people. I stayed home so that she wouldn't feel lonely."

"She lied to me. You know how I feel about that. Why would she lie to me?"

"Because she was scared. It wasn't all that long ago she was in another district and got teamed with another guy I went to school with. Not two days after he found out that she was my sister, he called me and complained about her. The problem was he was sitting in the classroom and she came back from lunch a little early and heard him bitching to me about how little she was and how she couldn't talk without stuttering. She ran out crying and I had to catch an emergency flight out there in order to calm her down. She was in the hospital for days after that panic attack." Jason looked at his friend closely. "That incident almost destroyed every bit of self-confidence she had worked so hard to build. Do you know how long it took me to convince her that she could do it? To convince her to try again?"

"Man, you know me better than that."

"I do, Tommy. She doesn't. It doesn't help that you stood there glaring at her. She's afraid she's going to have to leave again and I can't stand that. I got her here under false pretenses. I pushed Elsa to put her with you. I thought you could help her where I can't."

"Really?" Tommy couldn't believe it.

"Yeah. Tommy, please don't be mad at her. Give her another chance. You have to remember how badly she's been picked on. Help her. Please?"

How could he resist his friend's pleading? "I'll try. I'll try to let it go. Just make sure that she understands that I hate being lied to."

"I will. By the way, there's a barbecue at my place Sunday night to welcome Tara to town. Do you want to come?"

"Sure. I guess. Maybe I can talk to Tara there?"

"I think she'll be okay with that. I'll tell her that you'll be there and that you'd like to talk to her. Just try to remember how fragile she is. You know I don't take well to people being mean to my friends and it's even worse when it comes to Tara. I'm the only protection she's had for so long that she doesn't know who she can trust and I want her to be able to trust you."

"Okay, Jase. I'll be there. Tell Kim I said hi when you get home. Okay?"

"See you Sunday. About four okay?"

"Works for me. I'll see you guys then."

Tommy got in his jeep and Jason walked back into the hospital.

Three days later, it was time for the barbecue. Tara stood in the kitchen next to the only other friend she'd had in Angel Grove. Kim was happy; she hadn't seen Tara in so long and now she was here trying to make a life for herself and Jason was helping her.

"Tara, I'm so glad you decided to stay. I'd miss you terribly if you left."

"Thank you, Kim. I just hope Tommy's forgiven me for not telling him about Jason." Tara was so nervous about seeing Tommy again that she was on the verge of another panic attack.

"Calm down, Tara. Slow deep breaths." Kim had placed her arm around the younger woman. "That's it. Slow, deep breaths. There you go." She smiled down at her friend. "Jason explained things to Tommy and says that he understands. He's not going to hold on to that one little omission. I think I know Tommy well enough to say that he's more than likely already forgiven you."

"And if he hasn't, he will soon. Trust me on that one, sissy." Jason's voice came from over by the back door where he'd been starting up the grill for the chicken they were going to have.

The knock on the door sent Tara's heart racing. Tommy was here. Kimberly kept a calming arm around the young woman as Jason walked to the door to let his long time friend in.

"Hello, Tara," Tommy said softly as he followed Jason into the kitchen.

"Hi, Tommy."

"Why don't you two go out in the back yard and talk? Jason and I can finish getting dinner together." Tommy looked at Kim, the look in his eyes telling her that he knew what she was up to.

"Would you like that, Tara?" he asked, offering a hand to her.

She nodded and took the hand he held out. They walked out the back door, heading for the swing by the back fence.

Kim and Jason watched from the back door as Tommy and Tara sat down on the swing. "I hope this helps them both," Jason said, draping an arm around Kimberly.

"So do I, Rex. So do I."