DISCLAIMER: Nope still not mine.
SUMMARY: Tara is back safely with Tommy. Jason and Kim have started cooking.
A/N: Thank you to those who have stuck with me for so long. I hope to be able to update frequently for a while although real life is being more than just a little bit of a bummer lately.
The food was ready and Jason turned to look at Tommy and Tara. "Kim, check it out."
Kim turned and looked at the two on the chaise. "How cute! Look at the two of them." She leaned into the strong embrace of her boyfriend. "They make the perfect couple."
"I think we make a pretty cool couple ourselves." Jason kissed her cheek as he whispered it in her ear.
Kim pulled loose from Jason's arms and walked over to where the couple was resting peacefully on the chaise. She knelt down beside them and reached out to touch Tommy's hand. He jerked it back, his eyes snapping open and focusing on Kim's face.
"Sorry. Just wanted to let you two know that food's ready."
"Thanks, Kim." He leaned over Tara and kissed her forehead. "Tara, food's ready. Time to wake up again."
Tara stirred and started trying to sit up. Once she was sitting up, Tommy helped her to her feet, kissing her cheek. The two of them walked toward the grill where Jason was starting to plate up the steaks.
"I just want a small one, please," Tara said.
"I know, sissy. I have a small one right here for you. Cooked just the way you like it," Jason smiled as he handed Tara a plate with a smaller steak. She and Tommy walked over to the table and put a little bit of baked beans and some potato salad on her plate.
The two of them sat down next to Billy and Hayley. "Feel better after your nap?" Kira teased.
"A little. I could use a little more sleep. It's been a really stressful day." Tara yawned as if to accentuate her words.
"Soon, little one. Soon." Tommy leaned over and kissed her forehead.
She smiled sleepily at the man who had so quickly become the one she leaned on.
Tommy walked Tara up the stairs and steered her into his bedroom. "What do you think Jason would say if he came up here and found us in the same bed together?" he asked, teasingly.
"Right now, I'm so tired I really couldn't care less what he has to say about this. But I DO think I should go into my room to change." She stumbled to the door, nearly running into it. Tommy took her arm and gently guided her to the other room.
She sat down on the bed where her sweatpants and t-shirt were laying. She took off her shirt and bra, slipping on the t-shirt. She kicked her shoes to the floor and lay back on the bed in order to take off her slacks and put on the sweatpants.
She never got that far.
The moment Tommy was sure that Tara was safely in her room he went back to his room in order to change into his own sleeping clothes.
He was ready in no time at all. When he realized that Tara hadn't come back yet, he walked across the hall to check on her. He smiled when he saw her asleep on her bed. He sat down next to her and touched her shoulder gently. "Tara. Tara, wake up."
He shook her shoulder a little more. She stirred and opened her eyes. "What?"
"Tara, you need to finish changing. Then, we can go to sleep." She sat up and looked down at her legs.
"I guess I was really tired." She shrugged, smiling sleepily. Tommy turned his back as she stood up to finish changing her clothes so she'd be more comfortable. "I'm ready," she said as she put her hand on Tommy's arm.
He wrapped an arm around her and together they walked back to Tommy's room where they curled up on his bed, both asleep before they could even curl up to each other.
Jason smiled when he checked in on the two of them after cleaning up the grill and the kitchen. Kim stood beside him and smiled at them too. "They really are a great couple."
"It's good that she found someone to lean on. I just hope that he's careful with her."
"I'm sure he will be. It's a good thing that he finally found someone to play white knight for."
The two of them walked back downstairs and went to sleep in the other guest room.
The moment the two of them were under the covers Jason pulled Kim into him close. Her head nestled on his chest as one leg draped over his legs.
"I'll find you. No matter where you hide, I'll find you." The voice chased her through the halls of the high school. No one was in view and yet she heard the voice as clearly as if the person was right behind her.
She ran into Tommy's classroom only to stop dead in her tracks. Tommy was slumped at his desk and she ran to him, lifting his head. She discovered that his throat had been slit just enough to let him bleed to death in a slow fashion.
Two hands grabbed her from behind. "Now, you're all mine. I'm going to hide you away where no one can find you. Then, I'll make you scream."
Tara was fighting against the man holding her against his chest. "Let me go! Let me go!"
"Let me go! Let me go!" Tara screamed, waking Tommy from a sound sleep. He had rolled over in his sleep and wrapped his arms around her. She was fighting him now.
Tommy leaned into Tara's struggling form. "Tara. Tara, sweetheart, it's me, Tommy. I'm right here."
She fought him for almost thirty minutes before finally collapsing against him sobbing. "Please don't hurt me. Please just let me go." She kept repeating those words over and over again.
Tommy felt the tears flow down his face as he realized that she was trapped inside her nightmare. "Tommy! Tommy, I'm sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen."
"Tara, I'm right here. I'm not leaving you."
"You murdered him. You killed him just to get to me." Tommy felt his heart break as he heard her whisper the words. "Why?"
He rolled her over and placed his hands on either side of her face. "Tara, I love you."
He pressed his lips to hers, tasting the salt of her tears as he gently tried to coax her from her dream. She felt herself responding to his kisses.
She tried to fight off the feelings he was evoking in her. She didn't want to betray Tommy with this guy.
"Open your eyes, baby. Look at me. Know who it is that's kissing you." She shook as she opened her eyes. Seeing Tommy directly in front of her, she threw her arms around his neck and ducked her head, burrowing into his chest. "I'm right here, baby. Don't worry. I'm right here and I'm not leaving you. It's not going to be that easy for this creep to kill me."
She sobbed into his chest for several more minutes before crying herself to sleep.